Comic Strip Review: The Phantom: The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Two 1937-1939

Comic Strip Review: The Phantom: The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Two 1937-1939 written by Lee Falk, art by Ray Moore Almost five hundred years ago, a sailor named Christopher Walker was accompanying his father on that man’s last voyage when they were attacked by the Singh Brotherhood, a bloodthirsty band of pirates.  The pirates killed… Continue reading Comic Strip Review: The Phantom: The Complete Newspaper Dailies: Volume Two 1937-1939

Book Review: Complete Speaker’s and Toastmaster’s Library

Book Review: Complete Speaker’s and Toastmaster’s Library by Jacob M. Braude Public speaking is a valuable skill.  You may be called upon to say a few words at a friend’s or relative’s wedding.  You might have to give a presentation at work.  You might even aspire to doing Youtube videos.  But it’s also a skill… Continue reading Book Review: Complete Speaker’s and Toastmaster’s Library

Book Review: My Ultimate Super Hero Manual

Book Review: My Ultimate Super Hero Manual by Steve Behling Almost every comic book-loving kid has gone through a phase when they seriously wanted to be a superhero.  Wearing a flashy costume, having neat powers, hanging out with people like Spider-Man and Storm; what’s not to love?   At the very least, designing your own super… Continue reading Book Review: My Ultimate Super Hero Manual

Book Review: Season of Marvels: Viking Tales

Book Review: Season of Marvels: Viking Tales by Deb Houdek Rule This is a collection of four speculative fiction short stories on the general theme of “Vikings” from the small label press Variations On a Theme. “Viking -Trojan War” is an after-action report about 8th Century Viking raiders suddenly materializing on the USC campus due to… Continue reading Book Review: Season of Marvels: Viking Tales

Book Review: You Can’t Eat Peanuts in Church and Other Little-Known Laws

Book Review: You Can’t Eat Peanuts in Church and Other Little-Known Laws by Barbara Seuling Laws have a purpose.  It is not always a good purpose, but track them to their passage and you will usually see the reasoning behind them.  With the passage of time, that purpose is obscured, and many laws passed to… Continue reading Book Review: You Can’t Eat Peanuts in Church and Other Little-Known Laws

Book Review: Tiger by the Tail

Book Review: Tiger by the Tail by Alan E. Nourse Alan E. Nourse (1928-1992) was a medical doctor and science fiction/fact author.  His professional training often showed in his stories, perhaps best exemplified by the novel Star Surgeon.  He also wrote The Bladerunner, about a dystopian future where medical care is rationed.  Hollywood optioned the title and… Continue reading Book Review: Tiger by the Tail

Book Review: Minnesota Vice

Book Review: Minnesota Vice by Ellen & Mary Kuhfeld As I have mentioned before, Minnesota has many fine mystery and crime writers.  Mary Kuhfeld is probably best known under the pen name Monica Ferris, under which she has written nineteen Betsy Devonshire Needlework Mysteries.  (Thus the subtitle “Monica Ferris Presents” for these self-published books.)  Ellen… Continue reading Book Review: Minnesota Vice

Magazine Review: Science Fiction Stories January 1960

Magazine Review: Science Fiction Stories January 1960 edited by Robert A.W. Lowndes Science Fiction Stories was a minor SF magazine published as Science Fiction starting in 1940, then under a couple of different titles until 1943 when it and its stablemate Future Fiction were cancelled due to paper costs.  It was revived in 1950 and ran until… Continue reading Magazine Review: Science Fiction Stories January 1960

Comic Book Review: The Fix, Volume 1: Where Beagles Dare

Comic Book Review: The Fix, Volume 1: Where Beagles Dare written by Nick Spencer, art by Steve Lieber Disclaimer: I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway for the purpose of writing this review.  No other compensation was requested or offered. Roy and Mac are crooked cops in Los Angeles.  Unfortunately, they’re not very good… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Fix, Volume 1: Where Beagles Dare

Open Thread: Webcomics You Might Enjoy

Open Thread: Webcomics You Might Enjoy Over the holiday weekend, I went to ConVergence 2016 in Bloomington, a yearly science fiction convention.  One of the panels I was on was “Web Comics”, during which we discussed many webcomics that panelists and audience members have enjoyed.  As promised, here’s a list combining the handout by Kathryn… Continue reading Open Thread: Webcomics You Might Enjoy