Speaking of Hard Case Crime Comic Books . . .

Just got my first glimpse of the first ever    comic book courtesy of Comixology, and I have to say that (1) I'm impressed by the art and (2) I am even willing to put $3.99 down for the first issue of Triggerman . . . assuming that it isn't sold out by the time I get to The Great Escape. Here, have a look:

And here's what the next two covers are going to look like:

That issue 3 cover is just a little bit too much (what with the bubbles), but that menacing foreground hand and gun is most excellent. 

Now if only Hard Case would release a high quality art book featuring the covers of all of the books they've published . . . .

Hard Case Crime & Charles Willeford?

Sent an email to

 Hi, Mr. Ardai. 

I’m still loving Hard Case Crime . . . and looking forward to seeing the comic books that are coming out any minute now. 

Meanwhile, I’ve just happened upon a writer I’m sure you’re familiar with: Charles Willeford. Most of his books are pretty readily available in one form or another, but there are a few which are really expensive . . . one to two hundred dollars expensive. They are:

Understudy for Love (1961) 

 No Experience Necessary (1962) 

Off the Wall (1980) 

Everybody's Metamorphosis (1988)

Cockfighter Journal: The Story of a Shooting (1989)

Is there a chance that Hard Case Crime could bring any of these books out?

Thanks.

Thomas Kalb

Heard back. They're going to take a look-see.

Hot damn.

In case you aren't aware of them, Hard Case Crime is a most wonderful publisher. The covers alone are worth the price of admission . . . but their author list is most impressive as well: Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Mickey Spillane, Robert Bloch, Robert Silverberg, Roger Zelazny, Harlan Ellison, James M. Cain, Donald Westlake . . . hell, they've even got a novel from Watergate Conspirator E. Howard Hunt. And many others.  Check out their homepage. It's worth your while.

Luke Cage, Hero Quagmire

I love Luke Cage. So I was pretty excited about watching the Netflix series. Joe was anxious to see it, too, and he has a much larger capacity for binge-watching than I do, so even though it was just released yesterday, we've already watched seven of the thirteen episodes.

And there have been some most excellent moments, for sure. One of my favorites was when Luke, after escaping from prison, steals a yellow shirt and some blue jeans from a clothesline, and is still wearing a metal thingie on his head from the prison doctor's rejuvenation machine, so he looks just like he did in the early comic book days. And maybe still does . . . I haven't read any Marvel comic books for a long time.

I've also enjoyed the many literary references, the occasional super-campy lines ("Sweet Christmas!"), and the 70s style theme song. 

However.

I am sorry to say that I have grown tired of this show already. Other than Joe, the only thing which keeps me watching is the hope that Danny Rand / Iron Fist will make an appearance. The biggest reason for my weariness is that there are just so many holes in the plot. Big holes. Like a guy shooting a L.A.W. (or something like it) in the middle of a city and not getting caught. And about a hundred other things of like ilk. Another reason is that the show is just downright racist. I haven't done a count, but I'd bet that there have been at least one hundred "nigger"s in the first seven shows. Not that that is itself racist, but it most certainly isn't not-racist. The racism comes in when damned near every criminal is black, and damned near every character is a stereotype. I mean, for fuck's sake. 

It's a shame, too, because Mike Colter is a pretty awesome guy, and he could do the part of Luke Cage justice if he wasn't hampered by such idiotic scripts. Speaking of which, more shame in that Cheo Hodari Coker, who is credited as executive producer, creator of the show, and writer of at least some of the episodes, is a guy with some pretty serious writing credits . . . Southland, for instance, which is probably my all-time favorite cop show.

So what happened?

Dunno. But I may have to go back and re-watch Daredevil to get the taste of this show out of my mouth. 

More news as it happens.

David Bowie, The Gouster.

Some kind soul put the full album of The Gouster--commercially available only as part of the Who Can I Be Now? (1974 - 1976) set, which is quite pricey: MP3 $61.49, Audio CD $113.29, Vinyl $249.98--up on the You Tub, and I've just given it my first listen. And it was quite thrilling, of course, but I have to say that I'm glad that I didn't part with big bucks to hear it, as there wasn't much here that I didn't already have.  By the numbers:

1. John I'm Only Dancing (Again)--I've got this as a single and on at least one greatest hits compilation. Maybe somewhere else, too.
2. Somebody Up There Likes Me--sounded like the Young Americans album version to me.
3. It's Gonna Be Me--got this on the RykoDisc version of Young Americans.
4. Who Can I Be Now--got this on the RykoDisc version of Young Americans, too. 
5. Can You Hear Me--this was a different version, and it was nice to hear it, but it's not that different, you know?
6. Young Americans--if this was a different version, then I didn't hear the difference. 

7. Right--again, a little bit different, but not that much.

So so far as I can tell, the only "new" stuff you get here are slightly different versions of two of the songs. 

So if you were thinking about putting down the big money, you might want to do a re-think. There are better ways to show your love for Bowie than by enriching Parlophone UK, ya know?

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