Blackmark by Gil Kane

Published in January of 1971, this paperback is considered one of the first American graphic novels, written in a combination of prose, word balloons, and artwork by the inestimable Gil Kane. Kane, an already established comics artist had helped usher in the Silver Age of comic books with his role in revamping the DC Comics characters Green Lantern and The Atom, and who drew The Amazing Spider-Man during a particularly important 1970s run. However, this isn’t his first graphic novel, having experimented with the form with his 1968 black-and-white comics magazine His Name is... Savage.

Rather than enlarging on a pre-existing idea or character for this paperback book, Kane chose to develop an original story, setting, and character. In a post-nuclear-holocaust Earth, now devastated and devoid of all technology, mankind has been fractured into tribes. Mutated beasts abound and to the north, a race of malformed men with strange mental powers plot the eventual conquest of the planet from the fortress of Psi-Keep.

Into this world, a baby is conceived between a tinker’s barren wife and a dying wizard-king named Amarix. Amarix has the knowledge of science from before the wars and is able to magically transfer this knowledge into his spawn. The child is named Blackmark and, much like Conan, eventually sees his family and village slaughtered, is captured and raised as a slave. He vows revenge and to one day become King of all Earth. But first he must compete in the gladiator arena.

I enjoyed the story, but what puts this over the top is Gil Kane’s artwork. It’s too bad initial sales of the book didn’t meet expectations (due largely to some marketing mistakes), and no further books in the series were ever published. Kane, however, had already completed a second book worth of material. This would later be published as “The Mind Flayers” in the 62-page Marvel Comics magazine Marvel Preview #17  (Winter 1979).

This one is worth tracking down, not just for its historical contribution to the graphic novel format, but for the story and artwork itself.

The Best of Manhunt (Volume One)

Manhunt was acknowledged as the successor to Black Mask, which had stopped publishing the year before in 1951. It was a venue for high-quality crime fiction and by April of 1956 it was being billed as the "World's Best-Selling Crime-Fiction Magazine." This volume of stories is representative of Manhunt's contents and a must-read for fans of this genre.  The editor, Jeff Vorzimmer, chose to replicate the contents of the 1958 paperback "The Best from Manhunt", edited by Scott and Sidney Meredith, and of the 1959 British volume "The Bloodhound Anthology". Together these stories represent over a third of the overall content of this volume. 

The authors included in this single book reads like a rogue’s gallery of postwar mystery and mid-twentieth century short fiction giants, including: Lawrence Block, Nelson Algren, Evan Hunter (Ed McBain), Gil Brewer, Richard S. Prather, Erskine Caldwell, Donald Westlake, Frank Kane, Harlan Ellison, Mickey Spillane, David Goodis, John D. MacDonald, and Harry Whittington…and that’s only about a third of the roster.

Some stories include familiar private eye series characters including Richard S Prather’s Shell Scott and Frank Kane’s Johnny Liddell. But these are not the focus of this collection and are not indicative of the creatively diverse stories to be found here. This is a fantastic collection of stories accompanied by several essays about the history of Manhunt, including an interesting introductory piece by Lawrence Block wherein he describes his experiences with the publisher early in his phenomenal career. I enjoyed almost every one of these stories and that in itself speaks volumes considering there are 39 stories here. I chose to read one story between each novel I read so as to appreciate each on its own merits and not risk burnout from the whole batch at once. After all, most of these stories have pretty grim plots and endings with rather sordid characters.

Thankfully, there is a Volume 2 (which I am currently enjoying) along with plenty of pressure on Stark House Publishers, I’m sure, to add even more. I certainly hope so.

Storm Over Warlock by Andre Norton

Shann Lantee, a poor and uneducated young man, feels fortunate to have achieved his goal of being included on a survey team of Terrans seeking out new planets to colonize. Unfortunately, here on the planet of Warlock, the team’s survey camp has been attacked and all but destroyed by the Throgs, an alien race of beetle-like beings that have plagued mankind’s ascendancy to the stars for more than a century. Shann must not only somehow survive against the Throgs but also, along with his two pet wolverines, determine the nature of the local planetary species, known for now as the Warlockians, and carve out some sort of a future for himself.

First published in 1960, this was one of the first novels to appear under Alice Mary Norton’s pseudonym, Andre Norton. It also begins the “Forerunner” series which features a vanished alien race whose power was incomprehensible if the artifacts left behind are any indication. The series also loosely ties in with other Andre Norton series, most notably in the description of the “witches” found on the planet Warlock.

The novel is fairly typical of an Andre Norton yarn. We have a protagonist with a less-than-ideal background, traveling across the wilderness in a largely solo affair, to ultimately surprise everyone, including himself with a profound contribution. The aliens encountered along the way are well-developed and unique, a hallmark of Norton’s work. There is plenty of adventure along the way, but also a lot of introspection from Shann. Along his journey, he discovers another Terran survivor, a survey team officer who begins by taking Shann for granted but who ultimately recognizes Shann’s grit and wisdom. It’s sort of a coming-of-age novel, which is also not surprising given the majority of the author's output as well as her origins as a young-adult writer.

An interesting tale that pulls me toward reading more from the prolific Andre Norton.

King Kong vs. Tarzan by Will Murray

I always love diving into a Will Murray novel. He seems to love all the pulp characters that I also love, and he is somehow able to channel the authors’ voices as he writes new adventures.

This story takes place between the capture of King Kong on Skull Island and his eventual arrival in New York City. The logistics of that transport are always glossed over in all the movies, but here we see just how much of a struggle it can be to keep such a behemoth alive and unhurt throughout that voyage. What we now know, though, thanks to this story, is that the ship stopped off for supplies near Tarzan’s home in Africa and Kong had a side adventure with the Lord of the Jungle.

I really enjoyed the overall story and as much as I like Kong, I felt the first section was a little too long. Tarzan isn’t even mentioned until after the first 100 pages and doesn’t make an appearance until after the 250-page mark. It's all Kong up to that point, which is why, I suppose, he gets top billing in the title. The details of the ship's journey with Kong on board is filled with so many feeding-time-at-the-zoo sorts of scenes that I started to worry they’d never make it to Africa.

But that criticism aside, I loved the story, especially how Tarzan first reacted to such a creature invading his protected lands. Their battles are truly of epic proportion. The resolution and how Tarzan ultimately deals with the threat and humanely treats Kong is excellent storytelling. Murray really captures ERB’s style here and also manages to drop in a few Easter eggs from prior Tarzan adventure novels.

A worthwhile read for Kong lovers or Tarzan enthusiasts alike.

My Gun is Quick (Mike Hammer #2) by Micky Spillane

The second Mike Hammer novel by Mickey Spillane was first published in 1950, nearly three years after the first, "I, the Jury".

The story begins late at night with Hammer dead tired and deciding to stop in at a diner where he meets a red-headed prostitute. She is hassled by a man she seems to know and fear, but Hammer comes to her rescue as Hammer often does, using his fists swiftly and effectively. He takes pity on the girl and gives her some money to get a real job and escape her life of prostitution. The next day she is found dead, the victim of an apparent hit-and-run accident. Mike is suspicious though, thinking she was more likely murdered and so he decides to hunt down who might be behind it.

This novel is similar in many ways to his first novel, and it is clear that it just isn’t safe to become Mike Hammer’s friend. Hammer himself even points this out in the book. Other than the recurring characters of his secretary, Velda, and Hammer’s best friend and NYPD homicide detective Pat Chambers, all others need to watch their backs. The case spirals into something much bigger than the potential murder of a prostitute, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Spillane really puts the “hard” in “hard-boiled”.

Another good one from Mickey Spillane. 

Paperback Fantastic Vol 2 - Fantasy - edited by Justin Marriott

The second of three projected ‘zines in Justin Marriott’s “Paperback Fantastic” series is devoted to fantasy fiction. The first issue focused on Science Fiction while the third will target horror fiction. As expected, this second issue matches the slick product of the first with another great cover designed by Bill Cunningham. 

The bulk of the book is allocated to reviews of fantasy fiction through the ages, although most tend to gear towards the 'sword and sorcery' or ‘sword and sandal’ stories ala Conan, Fafhred and the Gray Mouser, Elric, and Brak the Barbarian. Many of the authors represented here are house-hold names like Edgar Rice Burroughs, H. Rider Haggard, Andrew J. Offutt, Michael Moorcock, Fritz Leiber, and of course, Robert E. Howard. Naturally, there are many names you may be less familiar with. Eleven different reviewers offer their opinions in thoughtful reviews (Full Disclosure once again: I’m one of them), and even when I disagreed, I was pleased to see good supporting arguments as to why the reviewers felt as they did. Above all, they are informative. 

Along with the interesting reviews are a number of “Fantastic Factoids”. These are two-page spreads that spotlight themes or cover artists. These include subjects such as “DAW and Tarzan”, “Flashing Swords”, “Dray Prescott”, “Fantasy Femmes” and “Fantastic Stories”.

A real bonus in this volume (just as in the first issue) is the full color artwork. Almost every review is accompanied by a full color depiction of the cover. Again, the covers chosen aren’t necessarily the ones you’ve seen and known from the bookstore shelves. They offer a full mix of UK and US covers as well as some from other countries. Sometimes, several covers are presented representing different styles and artists for the same book/comic. Additionally, each cover presented includes details of the artist and other facts about the book’s history.

As always, these products offer a great way to get a sampling of a specific genre. Fantasy fans will soak this up while those who’ve only ever wondered about what this genre is all about will find plenty to whet their appetites. 

Highly recommended.

Harvard Yard (Peter Fallon #2) by William Martin

Every time I read a novel by William Martin, I feel so lucky to have found him and have long since elevated him to my favorite author list.  I’ve yet to read a bad or even an “OK” book by him. They all hold precious real estate on my best book shelf.  I can now add that his Peter Fallon series is among my favorite series of all…ever.  This series combines many of my favorite genres: historical fiction, historical mystery, and modern day thrillers, all in a single superb novel.  They can be read as stand alones but it would be better to read them in order.

This is the second of the Peter Fallon books (following the excellent "Back Bay" and the first thing I noticed is that we’ve jumped a number of years forward from the end of the last book.  Peter is now a well-regarded antiquarian book dealer and has stumbled across a clue to a long lost, never before known, Shakespearean play titled ‘Love’s Labours Won’, a companion to his well-known play with a similar name.  In the hands of a lesser author, such a premise would strike me immediately with thoughts like ‘here we go again’ and ‘haven’t I seen this before’ and I would most probably pass it by in search of a better book to read.  But since it is William Martin, I knew I was in for an amazing journey.

As in the first book of the series, chapters alternate between the present day Peter Fallon mystery/thriller plot where he hunts for further clues to the history behind the lost play, all the time being hounded by rivals willing to kill for such a valuable find, and the past whereby we get to witness history unfold and actually see what happened along the way. Every time Peter uncovers a new piece of the puzzle, we then get to go back and see how that actually came to be. This leads to a fascinating, page-turning read.

There are numerous historical characters in this novel, as you might imagine considering we get to travel through all of American history from 1605 to the present, following the fictional Wedge family and their caretaker approach to the Shakespearean manuscript.  In 1605, a good friend to Shakespeare, Robert Harvard, received the play as a gift and it is his son, John Harvard who was instrumental in founding the first college in America. The setting for most of this novel is Harvard University and, indeed, it really becomes a character in and of itself. So many major American historical figures graduated from Harvard or taught there, or both, and the novel benefits from all of them. Major events and eras such as the Puritan’s witch burning, the fires of the Civil War, the riots of the 1960s and famous figures such as Cotton Mather, heroes of the Boston Tea Party and the Revolutionary War, through the era of Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Joe and Jack Kennedy, etc. etc. all play out on the Harvard stage. And through it all runs the thread of the lost Shakespearean play.

I must say, I have never been a huge fan of Harvard University. Not sure why really, other than a lifelong image of an old stodgy institution that seemed in a world all its own and so not for a common sort of fellow like myself. But this novel really opened up my eyes about Harvard and helped me to appreciate its history and what it stands for. Just the fact that Harvard (formed initially in 1636 and known as ‘New College’) was renamed for John Harvard in 1639 because of his gift of his personal library of some 400 books is awesome. And to see the school meander its way through history, witness its ups and downs, its triumphs and controversies, is really to watch the evolution of the entire country as well.

The patriarch of the fictional Wedge family and good friend to John Harvard, Isaac Wedge was fond of saying “A man is best known by his books”. That is a sentiment that I can certainly relate to and I am proud to count this book among my own library.

The Hellbenders Trilogy by Richard Prosch

The American Civil War is drawing closer to a reality, but the Mexican/American War is still on the minds of many in the Southwest. Cortina’s Mexican insurgents have just laid waste to a large chunk along the Rio Grande and now a Tejano named Cardoza has his sights set on taking over a ranch, with dreams of many more such targets to come. However, at the behest of his uncle, Texas Ranger Lin Jarret rides into the middle of this war, with the primary mission of watching out for Reece Sinclair, daughter of ranch owner Tom Sinclair, heiress to the large spread.

While he expects a spoiled rich girl, Reece turns out to be far more than he bargained for, fully capable of protecting herself and the ranch, all while leading a secret mission all her own. As an abolitionist, she finds a like-minded soul in Lin Jarret. Together they become “Hellbenders”.

Author Richard Prosch is an experienced wordsmith, and his storytelling prowess is on full display here in these three novels. While there is plenty of gunplay and action scenes to please those that thrive on such plots, this book is far more than that. I’ve read many a western novel in my time and rarely do I get to enjoy the characters of a novel as much as I do here. They really leap off the page, fully realized, complete with realistic personalities and motivations. They’re the type that could absolutely be real people. Even the minor characters (and there are quite a few), felt real to me. The author’s ability to capture the lingo and the sounds of the various cultures in the novel is truly impressive.

In the second novel, “Seven Devils Road”, we see that the Order of the Ivory Compass is working hard to establish their ideal of a new country carved out of parts of the American South, West, and Caribbean wherein slavery shall remain an institution forever. Now, they have their sights set on Missouri. In order to help finance their version of the Underground Railroad, the Hellbenders recruit a few compadres and proceed with a scheme to rob a train of assets owned by the Ivory Compass themselves. What better way to build a resistance than to use your opponent's wealth? The bad guys soon get wind of the robbery, leading to a perilous chase along the Butterfield Overland Trail in a coach as it makes its way from Syracuse to Fort Smith, Arkansas.

This second book is just as full of gritty action and perilous situations as the first. The main characters retain their intriguing personalities while new ones provide plenty of new charisma and drama. Of course, Richard Prosch continues to demonstrate his ability to capture the voices of his characters. Mixed in with the fire-spitting gunfights and threats coming from all corners, is a nice mix of relationships and humor. Additionally, there is some interesting history sprinkled in. For example, I’d never heard of the Walch Navy 12-shot revolver. It’s a .36 caliber revolver patented in 1859 utilizing superimposed chambers, which means that each of the six chambers could hold two shots, for a total of 12 rounds before reloading. It had two hammers and two side by side triggers, with the trigger for the front loading being positioned slightly ahead of the rear load’s trigger, to help ensure that they are fired in the correct order. Pretty cool gun and when used in the novel, provides for a unique gunfight.

The third novel, “A Killing at Rimrock”, opens with Texas Ranger Lin Jarret and his pretty partner Reece Sinclair using their stagecoach to transport a passenger named Dale Hemlock to an important Cotton Growers Association meeting. Cotton is the foundation of the economy in Texas in 1860 so the Cotton Growers are extremely important. It also seems inevitable that there will be war between the states.

Local disputes involving the transportation of alcohol across the Red River fuel an already volatile situation that also involves the conflict between the abolitionists and the Order of the Ivory Compass. Caught in the middle are our Hellbenders, whose reputation for leading escaped slaves to safety is growing.

All three Hellbender novels tie together but they can also each be read and enjoyed separately. His two primary protagonists, Lin Jarret and Reece Sinclair make for an ideal pair to carry the plot. To quote from the book, “He was flour, she was water. Together they were hard tack – able to see through the rough times and last damn near forever.” The other characters are all well-drawn and serve well to enhance the realistic setting and atmosphere as well as advancing the plot at the same time. And believe me there is lots of action here including gunplay, fist and knife fights, stagecoach peril, as well as some intriguing mental one-upmanship. It's especially gratifying to see Reece hold her own in these conflicts.

I genuinely hope this is not the final novel in the Hellbenders series. It would be interesting to see how Lin and Reece carry on with their Hellbenders mission once the war begins in earnest.

Highly recommended. 

The Peril of the Pacific by J. Allan Dunn

This is a five-part serial, originally published in the pages of “People’s” magazine way back in 1916.  J. Allan Dunn, the author, had broken into the pulps just two years prior, but was already in high demand as a writer.  I was drawn to this book because I had read and enjoyed a collection of his “Crime Master” stories which weren’t written until the late 1920’s and 30's.

This serial is really a science fiction tale for that time, telling of a possible near-future.  A man by the name of Bruce Grahame is an expert in aeronautics and also a believer in preparedness, especially against what he believes is an imminent invasion of the western US by Japan.  Remember that this was written in 1916 so it is a really interesting take on what might happen, even if in our reality it didn’t come close to happening until the 1940s.

The author speculates that the new aeronautical technology of helicopters would completely transform the way combat would ensue, basically predicting that normal fixed-wing aircraft would become completely obsolete.  An interesting speculation that has, of course, been contrary to our history thus far but nevertheless makes for an interesting story.

This is largely a tale of war strategy with a lot of heroic adventure and a bit of romance thrown in. A major sub-plot involves a half-American/half-Japanese bad guy who hopes to betray his native US, lead the Japanese to surprise victory, and ultimately rule the new Nippon. He also kidnaps Grahame's girlfriend, for added incentive. A mere 150 pages cover the entire pre-war preparations, the surprise attacks, the limited response by the caught-flat-footed Americans, several key battles, and ultimate resolution.  And yet, it doesn’t feel rushed at all. It’s written in a more serious tone than the Crime Master stories I read, and I was content to read one section at a time, between novels, rather than straight through.  I wanted that same sense of reading a serial. I imagine that reading it back when it originally came out over five straight months amid the real WWI was quite an edge-of-your-seat experience.

Hats off to Off-Trail Publications and John Locke for re-publishing this interesting story.