Comic Book Review: Batman Archives Volume 1 written by Bill Finger & Gardner Fox, art by Bob Kane & Sheldon Moldoff Batman was the second full-fledged superhero published by National Periodicals, soon to be better known as DC. The kernel of the idea was proposed by artist Bob Kane, and fleshed out by writer Bill… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Batman Archives Volume 1
Tag: mystery
Book Review: Penny Dreadfuls: Sensational Tales of Terror
Book Review: Penny Dreadfuls: Sensational Tales of Terror edited by Stefan Dziemianowicz While the term “penny dreadfuls” proper belongs to a particular type of inexpensive newsprint periodical, as explained in the introduction to this volume, the twenty stories chosen here can all be described as lowbrow sensationalist literature written for those seeking thrills in their… Continue reading Book Review: Penny Dreadfuls: Sensational Tales of Terror
Book Review: The Pavilion
Book Review: The Pavilion by Hilda Lawrence (also published as “The Pavilion of Death”) When Regan Carr’s mother passes away from illness, the young woman is hard-pressed. Her part-time job as a small town librarian for $25 a week (roughly equivalent to an $8/hr job in 2017) is not sufficient to cover the doctor’s bills… Continue reading Book Review: The Pavilion
Book Review: Fire-Tongue
Book Review: Fire-Tongue by Sax Rohmer If there’s one thing a detective hates, it’s when their client hems and haws about explaining basic details of why they need a detective, only to die just as they make up their minds with only a cryptic last utterance as a clue. But that’s the situation Paul Harley… Continue reading Book Review: Fire-Tongue
Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents: Batman, Volume 6
Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents: Batman, Volume 6 edited by Julius Schwartz By 1971, the Batman television show had been off the air long enough that its sales boost to the Batman and Detective Comics series had faded, and with it, the incentive to model the magazines on the show. Bruce Wayne moved from stately Wayne Manor to… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents: Batman, Volume 6
Book Review: The Baker Street Peculiars
Book Review: The Baker Street Peculiars written by Roger Langridge, art by Andy Hirsch It is 1933 in the city of London, and what appears to be a stone lion from Trafalgar Square is running wild in the streets. Three children from different walks of life (and a dog) have separately decided to chase down… Continue reading Book Review: The Baker Street Peculiars
Audio Review: If We Were Villains
Audio Review: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio Eleven years ago, seven drama students entered their fourth year at the prestigious Dellecher Classical Conservatory. Now, a decade after the end of that school year, one of those students, Oliver Marks, is being released from prison. Former police detective Colborne has never entirely bought the official… Continue reading Audio Review: If We Were Villains
Comic Book Review: Oni Press Starter Pack 2016
Comic Book Review: Oni Press Starter Pack 2016 by various While I spend many of my comics-related posts on this blog talking about the Big Two’s superhero comic books, there are a number of worthy small press comics companies that put out interesting material every year. Oni Press has put out an affordable collection of… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Oni Press Starter Pack 2016
Book Review: The Play of Death
Book Review: The Play of Death by Oliver Pötzsch Disclaimer: I received a Kindle download of this book through a Goodreads giveaway to facilitate this review. No other compensation was offered or requested. The year is 1670, and the people of Oberammergau are preparing their every-ten-years Passion Play…though some of them think it might be… Continue reading Book Review: The Play of Death
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