Comic Book Review: Robot Archie and the Time Machine

Comic Book Review: Robot Archie and the Time Machine story by E. George Cowan, art by Ted Kearon Robot Archie was created in 1952 for Lion, a British weekly comic paper. Initially appearing in the serial “The Jungle Robot”, he was built by Professor C.R. Ritchie to help his nephew Ted Ritchie and Ted’s chum… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Robot Archie and the Time Machine

Book Review: Falcon

Cover by Kirk Reinert.

Book Review: Falcon by Emma Bull Dominic “Niki” Emrys Ieuan Glyndwr is a prince of Cymru, a backwater planet primarily settled by people of Welsh descent who’d finally won their freedom from the English. He and his brilliant geneticist mother Morwenna have been on a long summer break from the press of palace affairs and… Continue reading Book Review: Falcon

Book Review: The X Bar X Boys on Big Bison Trail

Book Review: The X Bar X Boys on Big Bison Trail by James Cody Ferris Roy and Teddy Manley are seventeen and sixteen years old, respectively. Though Roy is dark-haired and serious while Teddy is blond and jovial, they otherwise bear a strong family resemblance. They live and work on their father Bradford Manley’s ranch,… Continue reading Book Review: The X Bar X Boys on Big Bison Trail

Movie Review: The Adventures of Rex and Rinty

Rex and Rinty bond.

Movie Review: The Adventures of Rex and Rinty (1935) directed by Ford Beebe On the island of Sujan in the Indian Ocean, the natives worship the horse god. They venerate all horses, but only one is the incarnation of the horse god, the God-Horse Rex, King of the Wild Horses (Rex). Wealthy and unscrupulous polo player… Continue reading Movie Review: The Adventures of Rex and Rinty

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine January/February 2024

Cover art by Tom Roberts

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine January/February 2024 edited by Janet Hutchings Despite the cover date, this issue of the venerable mystery story magazine hit newsstands in December 2023, so is the Christmas issue as well as the Sherlock Holmes tribute. I bought this issue and promptly had it buried under a to read pile,… Continue reading Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine January/February 2024

Movie Review: Wildfire (1945)

Our title character, proud and free.

Movie Review: Wildfire (1945) directed by Robert Emmett Tansey Wildfire is a mighty stallion, leader of his herd of free horses. He does his best to protect his people from the two-legs who would enslave or kill them. What he does not know is that the evil human Pete Fanning (John Miljan) and his band of… Continue reading Movie Review: Wildfire (1945)

Book Review: Wicked West

Book Review: Wicked West edited by Abigail Linhardt and J.H. Fleming The combination of Western and horror genres is a popular one; those wide open spaces in which people and entire towns can just disappear make for a setting that allows a lot of spookiness. This bespoke anthology has eleven stories in this subcategory. “The… Continue reading Book Review: Wicked West

Book Review: Gene Autry and the Ghost Riders

Book Review: Gene Autry and the Ghost Riders by Lewis B. Patten Gene Autry (1907-1998) was one of the world’s great cowboy singers, who did well in live performances, record sales, radio, movies and television. You may remember him from such classic songs as “Back in the Saddle Again” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Like… Continue reading Book Review: Gene Autry and the Ghost Riders

Comic Book Review: Jughead with Archie Digest Magazine #134

Comic Book Review: Jughead with Archie Digest Magazine #134 by various creators The Archie characters and setting first appeared in Pep Comics #22 (December 1941) as part of the M.L.J. Magazines comic book publishing line. Inspired by the wholesome Andy Hardy movies starring Mickey Rooney, Archie Andrews was a “typical American teenager” with a stable… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Jughead with Archie Digest Magazine #134

Book Review: Secret Murder: Who Shall Judge?

Cover art by Alicia Austin

Book Review: Secret Murder: Who Shall Judge? by Ellen Kuhfeld Ragnar Forkbeard, iron-monger, and Olaf Far-Traveler, trader in exotic goods, have come from Surtsheim in the north to Northlanding, the falls that block boats from coming any further up the Great River. It is time for the great spring fair and the merchants have come… Continue reading Book Review: Secret Murder: Who Shall Judge?