Blog Archives
sSensor Sweep: Wulfhere, Monster Manual, Heroism, Howard A. Jones
Monday , 18, November 2019 Sensor Sweep Leave a commentHeroism (Rogue Blades Entertainment): “The heroic books, even if printed in the character of our mother tongue, will always be in a language dead to degenerate times …” Henry David Thoreau wrote those words in the mid-19th Century for his distinguished book, Walden. They rang true then and they ring true today. Of course there […]
Sensor Sweep: Witherwing, Lankhmar, Mid-List Collapse
Monday , 11, November 2019 Sensor Sweep 4 CommentsWriters (Less Known Writes): David William Jarrett was the son of Mervyn Spencer Jarrett (1906-1986), a works engineer, and his wife Olive Elizabeth Jenkins (1907-1997), who were married in the summer of 1940. He had one older brother. Jarrett’s novel was Witherwing (London: Sphere, 1979: New York: Warner, 1979). It begins as a kind of […]
Sensor Sweep: Michael Shea, Hugh Cave, Walking Dead
Monday , 4, November 2019 Sensor Sweep Leave a commentComic Books (Paint Monk): If you think I worship at the proverbial altar of Roy Thomas when it comes to Conan comic books, you’re right. I do. But it’s not undeserved. Not only was Thomas the man who worked to bring Conan to Marvel, but he also took his time with character research, developing all […]
Sensor Sweep: Irish Horror Writers, Robert Jordan, E. C. Comics
Monday , 28, October 2019 Sensor Sweep 2 CommentsIndie Fiction (Jon Mollison): Given that indy comics are shouting into the gale-force winds of multi-billion dollar marketing campaigns. It’s hard to get noticed, and every little of help that I can offer my fellow creatives is time well spent. These reviews aren’t just the writings of a fan, they are recommendations to help you […]
Sensor Sweep: E. C. Tubb, Bernie Wrightson, The Professionals
Monday , 21, October 2019 Sensor Sweep 2 CommentsHorror (Skulls in the Stars): I would draw some attention to my friends at Valancourt Books, who have been doing such an amazing job reprinting classic works of horror. In particular, I thought I would mention the great job they’ve done in bringing some of the best haunted house books back into circulation! When I […]
Comic Books (13th Dimension): “Nearly 50 years after he first brought the Cimmerian to the pages of Marvel Comics, the incredible ROY THOMAS returns to script the SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN! Teamed with the legendary ALAN DAVIS, get ready for an unforgettable chapter in the saga of Conan, as the barbarian leads a mysterious band […]
Culture Wars (Monster Hunter Nation): Here’s a fascinating demonstration of just how stupid and backwards the political gatekeepers in fiction really are. This week author Dan Simmons wrote a post about Greta the Climate Scold, and because his opinion went against left wing orthodoxy, a bunch of virtue signalling morons threw a fit. Historical Fiction […]
Weapons (Ammoland): On the Internet, and in print, many people claim that pistols lack efficacy in defending against bear attacks. Here is an example that occurred on freerepublic.com: “Actually, there are legions of people who have been badly mauled after using a handgun on a bear. Even some of the vaunted magnums.” OK, give us a […]
Comic Books (Crom the Barbarian): Who is Crom the Barbarian? Crom the Barbarian was created in 1950 by Gardner F Fox and John Giunta. The Barbarian, Crom, is a small speed bump in comic book history. Gardner F. Fox and John Giunta take direct inspiration from the Robert E. Howard, Conan pulps. They pen out their version […]
Sensor Sweep: U.K Modules, Chernobyl game, Max Brand
Monday , 16, September 2019 Sensor Sweep 1 CommentComic Books (Paint Monk): Nothing could be as close to garbage as the fare served up by the creative team on Age of Conan: Belit, so it was with some trepidation that I purchased the first issue of Age of Conan: Valeria, hoping that Marvel’s next outing might be worth reading. It wasn’t. Just like Tini Howard […]
Sensor Sweep: Tolkien’s Letters, Taghri’s Prize, Kardios of Atlantis
Monday , 9, September 2019 Sensor Sweep 2 CommentsHorror Fiction (Old Style Tales): When H. G. Wells first published “The Invisible Man” in 1897, the title alone ensured its success. Invisibility fascinates, attracts, and terrifies. It’s allure rests in the ability to escape notice (and with it criticism, self-consciousness, and the power of the other’s gaze), to be freed from social pressures (to […]
Sensor Sweep: Starbase, Scarlet Citadel, Baldur’s Gate
Monday , 2, September 2019 Sensor Sweep 4 CommentsScience Fiction (Kairos): Congratulations to Analog for coming up with a more concise and even lamer award name than the Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence. Then again, that award was created because Burns accidentally emasculated someone. The Astounding Award specifically recognizes emasculation. Cinema (Walker’s Retreat): This is not just corporate fan fiction. This […]