Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936

Cover is symbolic; the "cat person" in the story is male.

Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936 by various creators As I’ve previously mentioned, the “spicy” pulps were racy for their time, with descriptions of women’s breasts and thighs, and it being obvious that the characters are having sex, but never actually describing the sex or genitals. This particular magazine, despite the title, has little… Continue reading Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936

Movie Review: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Dr. Caligari has little patience for government bureaucracy.

Movie Review: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) directed by Robert Wiene The frame story begins with Franciz (Friedrich Feher) having just been told by another man (Hans Lanser-Ludloff) about the supernatural events that drove him from his home. Franciz replies that the events he and his fiancée Jane Olsen (Lil Dagover) experienced were even more… Continue reading Movie Review: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Manga Review: Mao Volumes 19 & 20

Manga Review: Mao Volumes 19 & 20 by Rumiko Takahashi Note: SPOILERS for previous volumes. You may want to read my reviews of those if you’re not caught up. Quick recap: Nanoka is a girl from the 21st Century who travels in time to the 1920s, where she helps the onmyoji (wizard/priest/doctor) Mao, who is… Continue reading Manga Review: Mao Volumes 19 & 20

Movie Review: Parasite (2019)

The Kim family is so destitute they welcome poison gas.

Movie Review: Parasite (2019) directed by Bong Joon-ho When we first meet the Kim family of Seoul, South Korea, they’re living in a cramped, insect-infested basement apartment. No one currently has a paying job, so they’re having to steal wi-fi from the neighbors to try to get any quick temp assignments they can, like folding pizza… Continue reading Movie Review: Parasite (2019)

Manga Review: Cat-Eyed Boy The Perfect Edition 2

Manga Review: Cat-Eyed Boy The Perfect Edition 2 by Kazuo Umezz Quick recap: The Cat-Eyed Boy (who has no “real” name) is the child of nekomata cat monsters who for unknown reasons was born looking unusually humanoid. His mother died in childbirth and his father dumped him at a shrine. Fortunately, the baby was taken… Continue reading Manga Review: Cat-Eyed Boy The Perfect Edition 2

Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025

Cover by Jeffrey Ray Hayes, illustrating "ESPD." The distressing is part of the cover design.

Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025 edited by Robert Greenberger Disclaimer: I contributed to the Kickstarter for this book. A lesser known aspect of pulp fandom is the creation of new stories in the tradition of the pulp magazines of old, action-packed and exciting. Thus this series of books which feature modern authors trying their… Continue reading Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025

Comic Book Review: Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 1

Comic Book Review: Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 by various creators You may have heard a story like this before. A biochemist working for a secret agency develops a chemical that evil people want to steal. They come to his place in the swamp, and he winds up with the serum… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 1

Movie Review: Mark of the Vampire

Count Mora and Luna descend the stairs in the abandoned castle.

Movie Review: Mark of the Vampire (1935) directed by Tod Browning (also released as “Vampires of Prague”) Czechoslovakia, 1934, near the city of Prague. It is growing dark, but in the inn run by a local fellow (Michael Visaroff), two English travelers want to be on their way. The innkeeper warns that vampires roam these parts… Continue reading Movie Review: Mark of the Vampire

Magazine Review: Fantasy Tales Autumn 1989

Cover by Angus McKie

Magazine Review: Fantasy Tales Autumn 1989 edited by Stephen Jones Fantasy Tales was a British fantasy and horror magazine that ran from 1977-1991, though since it only published twice a year that’s not a huge number of issues (24). It was modeled after the classic pulp Weird Tales, and had a high percentage of notable… Continue reading Magazine Review: Fantasy Tales Autumn 1989

Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18

Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18 by Rumiko Takahashi Note: This review contains SPOILERS for the first 15 volumes, so you might want to go back to earlier entries if you’ve missed one or more. Quick recap: Nanoka is a 21st century girl who was cursed by the cat ayakashi Byoki. She discovered that a certain… Continue reading Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18