Comic Book Review: Dark Mysteries Vol. 1 by Various Artists This is another of the PS Artbooks softcover collections of pre-Code horror comics, collecting the first five issues of Dark Mysteries from Master Comics, published in 1951-1952. These comic books may have been read by the youth, but the shaping underwear ads indicate an older… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Dark Mysteries Vol. 1
Tag: Mars
Book Review: The Second If Reader of Science Fiction
Book Review: The Second If Reader of Science Fiction edited by Frederik Pohl If was a science fiction magazine that ran from 1952-1974, with its most successful years being under editor Frederik Pohl, winning three consecutive Hugos for Best Professional Magazine 1966-1968. Mr. Pohl has considerately included some stories from before his tenure in his… Continue reading Book Review: The Second If Reader of Science Fiction
Book Review: The Moon Maid
Book Review: The Moon Maid by Edgar Rice Burroughs It is the 2020s, and it is at last time for the humans of Earth to visit their neighbors on Mars, or as its natives call it, Barsoom. The first spaceship to essay the journey is also named the Barsoom. It carries a crew of five,… Continue reading Book Review: The Moon Maid
Comic Book Review: Space Adventures Volume 2
Comic Book Review: Space Adventures Volume 2 by various creators Space Adventures, sometimes titled “Science Fiction Space Adventures” or other temporary titles, was a science fiction anthology comic book series published by what would become Charlton Comics starting in 1952. It featured early work by such later famous artists as Dick Giordano and Steve Ditko.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Space Adventures Volume 2
Book Review: Pulp Adventures on the Moon
Book Review: Pulp Adventures on the Moon edited by Jonathan W. Sweet Once upon a time, humans went to the moon. Yes, the moon up in the sky! It was awesome, but then other matters took precedence, and there wasn’t the budget, and we just never went back. But we still dream of moon exploration… Continue reading Book Review: Pulp Adventures on the Moon
Book Review: The Best of Analog
Book Review: The Best of Analog edited by Ben Bova After the death of long-time editor John W. Campbell in 1971, Analog Science Fiction and Fact needed a new person at the helm. The winner of the selection process was Ben Bova (1932-2020), who intended to stay only a few years, those years winding up… Continue reading Book Review: The Best of Analog
Magazine Review: Planet Stories Summer 1949
Magazine Review: Planet Stories Summer 1949 edited by Paul L. Payne As previously discussed on this blog, Planet Stories was a science fiction pulp magazine published from 1939-1955. It was heavy on the space opera and planetary romance, and usually had a curvy and/or scantily-clad woman on the cover. This Adventure House reprint is of… Continue reading Magazine Review: Planet Stories Summer 1949
Movie Review: Negadon: The Monster from Mars
Movie Review: Negadon: The Monster from Mars (2005) directed by Jun Awazu In the near future of 2025, Earth’s resources are running out, so the humans are terraforming Mars. While doing so, they discover a giant cocoon-like object and decide to take it home. Unfortunately for the crew of the Izanami and everyone else in Japan, the creature… Continue reading Movie Review: Negadon: The Monster from Mars
Comic Book Review: The Bitter End and Other Stories
Comic Book Review: The Bitter End and Other Stories illustrated by Reed Crandall and George Roussos This EC reprint volume covers the latter part of Reed Crandall’s career as an artist of EC comic books, and several genre stories by George Roussos, who didn’t stay with the company long. The book opens with an introduction… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Bitter End and Other Stories
Book Review: The Empire of the Ants
Book Review: The Empire of the Ants by H.G. Wells In addition to his famous longer works like The War of the Worlds, Herbert George Wells also wrote a number of speculative fiction short stories. What I’m reviewing today is a collection published by Scholastic Book Services (and mostly sold at school book fairs) which… Continue reading Book Review: The Empire of the Ants