Comic Book Review: Green Lama Volume One

Comic Book Review: Green Lama Volume One by various creators. The Green Lama started life as a pulp character created by Kendell Foster Crossen in 1940. He almost immediately began appearing in comic books as well, and had his own radio show. Surprisingly, Ken Crossen had managed to hold on to the rights to the… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Green Lama Volume One

Movie Review: The Dragon Murder Case

Mrs. Stamm tries to convince Leland and Vance of the existence of the dragon.

Movie Review: The Dragon Murder Case (1934) directed by H. Bruce Humberstone There’s a party at the Stamm estate tonight. Socialite Monty Montague (George Meeker) has become engaged to lovely Bernice Stamm (Margaret Lindsay) and it’s time to celebrate. However, tensions are high. Ichthyologist Rudolph Stamm (Robert Barratt), Bernice’s brother, has taken to drink, ignoring the… Continue reading Movie Review: The Dragon Murder Case

Movie Review: The Bishop Murder Case

Philo Vance's breakfast is interrupted by--murder!

The Bishop Murder Case (1929) dir. David Burton A peaceful morning is broken when Professor Bertrand Dillard (Alec B. Francis) and his manservant Pyne (Sidney Bracey) look down into the house’s courtyard and see the corpse of family friend Robin, nicknamed “Cock Robin”, with an arrow in his chest. Professor Dillard immediately calls District Attorney Markham… Continue reading Movie Review: The Bishop Murder Case

Manga Review: Case Closed Volumes 83-86

Manga Review: Case Closed Volumes 83-86 by Gosho Aoyama Quick recap: Teen detective Shinichi Kudou (Jimmy Kudo in the dub) is shrunk into a pre-teen by an experimental poison. Until he can find a way to reverse the effects, he assumes the identity of Conan Edogawa. He still solves crimes, but it’s harder to get… Continue reading Manga Review: Case Closed Volumes 83-86

Comic Book Review: Golden Age Marvel Comics 2

Comic Book Review: Golden Age Marvel Comics 2 by Various This volume reprints the contents of Marvel Mystery Comics #5-8 from 1940. The introduction by Roy Thomas points up the contrast with the publisher’s other anthology title of the time, Daring Mystery Comics. This one had star characters like the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner,… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Golden Age Marvel Comics 2

Book Review: Behind the Crimson Blind

Book Review: Behind the Crimson Blind by Carter Dickson Sir Henry Merrivale, brilliant amateur detective, barrister, baronet and holder of a medical degree, has had many exciting adventures in Britain, Europe and America. He feels that he’s earned a bit of a holiday, so he’s incognito on a flight to Tangier. Except that the very… Continue reading Book Review: Behind the Crimson Blind

Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro

Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro by Edogawa Rampo Edogawa Rampo was the pen name of Hirai Tarou (1894-1965), who I last talked about as the author of The Fiend with Twenty Faces. That children’s book featured Akechi Kogoro as the Detective Boys’ adult mentor, but he was already an established series character… Continue reading Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro

Anime Review: Beastars Season Two

Jack is afraid he's losing his best friend.

Anime Review: Beastars Season Two This review will contain SPOILERS for Season One, so you might want to check out that review if you haven’t seen that season first. In a world where various species of animal people share an uneasy co-existence, Cherryton High is considered a prime example of integrated education. Tensions have been… Continue reading Anime Review: Beastars Season Two

Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides

Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr Castle Shira is not a canny place. Ever since one of the Campbell soldiers involved in the Glencoe Massacre threw himself from the tower, supposedly to escape the ghost of a murdered MacDonald, there have been a series of falling deaths associated with… Continue reading Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides

TV Review: Tientsin Mystic

Guo De-You recaps some of the backstory.

TV Review: Tientsin Mystic Tientsin (now usually romanized as “Tianjin”) is a river and port city in Northern China. During a ceremony to honor the River God, two corpses are discovered by salvage diver Guo De-You (Xian Li). One is an infant of unknown origin, but the other is the leader of the prestigious Chamber… Continue reading TV Review: Tientsin Mystic