Magazine Review: Hooded Detective January 1942

Magazine Review: Hooded Detective January 1942 The Black Hood was one of the superheroes created for the MLJ (later Archie) Comics line, first appearing in Top-Notch Comics #9 in 1940. Matthew Kipling “Kip” Burland was originally a rookie cop who was framed for grand larceny and injured to near death by a criminal known as… Continue reading Magazine Review: Hooded Detective January 1942

Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries

Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler While stories that could be considered “mysteries” in some sense have existed as long as writing, and perhaps a bit before, the short story mystery came into its own during the lifetime of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). This volume collects forty-nine notable stories from… Continue reading Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries

Comic Book Review: Essential Marvel Two-In-One Vol. 1

Comic Book Review: Essential Marvel Two-In-One Vol. 1 by Various Creators Much like DC, Marvel Comics also had dedicated superhero team-up series. Marvel Two-in-One featured perennial favorite character Benjamin Grimm, the Thing of the Fantastic Four–and I’ve never done a review of anything with him before, so first, a bit of character history! Fantastic Four… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Essential Marvel Two-In-One Vol. 1

Movie Review: Spider-Man (2002)

The Green Goblin strikes!

Movie Review: Spider-Man (2002) directed by Sam Raimi When perpetual loser teenager Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is bitten by a genetically modified spider during a school trip, he gains amazing spider-like powers. At first, his plan is to use these gifts for profit and to impress the girl he loves, Mary Jane “M.J.” Watson (Kirsten… Continue reading Movie Review: Spider-Man (2002)

Comic Book Review: The Green Woman

Comic Book Review: The Green Woman written by Peter Straub & Michael Easton, illustrated by John Bolton Even notorious serial killers can tire of the grind of constantly working, performing their arcane craft of artistic murder. So it is with Fielding “Fee” Bandolier, who’s done an entire triology worth of serial killings, and that’s just… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Green Woman

Book Review: The Black Lace Hangover

Book Review: The Black Lace Hangover by Carter Brown Private eye Danny Boyd throws wild parties. But the hangovers are murder. He doesn’t remember too much about what happened last night, though a jealous professional wrestler tossing him into a wall stands out. The apartment is a wreck, and there’s what looks like a severed… Continue reading Book Review: The Black Lace Hangover

Anime Review: Marvel Anime: Wolverine

Logan battles Omega Red.

Anime Review: Marvel Anime: Wolverine Logan, the man codenamed “Wolverine”, has lived a long time. Part of it, of course, is his mutant healing factor, but years of combat training, and a skeleton made of super-hard adamantium help too. And then there’s the sharp adamantium claws that pop out of his forearms. These days, his… Continue reading Anime Review: Marvel Anime: Wolverine

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

Magazine Review: Worlds of If August 1973

"Astronauts on Deimos" by David A. Hardy. Not illustrating any of the interior stories.

Magazine Review: Worlds of If August 1973 edited by Ejier Jakobsson This issue of the magazine also known as “If” opens with the “Hue and Cry” letter column. One reader was especially impressed with the negative review Lester del Rey gave of a book on cloning, which taught the reader something to look for in… Continue reading Magazine Review: Worlds of If August 1973

Movie Review: Desk Set

Richard and Bunny enjoy a late dinner.

Movie Review: Desk Set (1957) directed by Walter Lang (aka “His Other Woman”) Back in 1957, if you needed the answer to a question, you couldn’t just go on the internet. You had to look in a book, or ask another human being to look for you. That’s the job of the four women in the… Continue reading Movie Review: Desk Set