Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2026

Cover by Jeffrey Ray Hayes

Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2026 edited by Robert Greenberger Disclaimer: I contributed to the Kickstarter for this book, and there’s an advertisement for this blog on page 44. It’s time for another annual installment of this pulp-style anthology! Some returning authors, some new ones, and some familiar characters to follow. This year, the genres… Continue reading Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2026

Movie Review: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Holly's careless smoking is a fire hazard.

Movie Review: Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) directed by Blake Edwards Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) is a free-spirited sort of woman, out all night and having breakfast before going to bed by window shopping at the famous jewelry store Tiffany’s. She often loses or forgets her key, much to the annoyance of her upstairs neighbor Mr. Yuniyoshi… Continue reading Movie Review: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Comic Strip Review: Blood Orange Volume 1: National Secrets

Comic Strip Review: Blood Orange Volume 1: National Secrets by Tim Avers & Paul Fricke Constanze is a famous fashion model, actress and platinum-certified recording artist. These days she’s the spokesperson for i0, a top fashion house. She’s also got a taste for blood orange mimosas. However, there was a time when she wasn’t any… Continue reading Comic Strip Review: Blood Orange Volume 1: National Secrets

Comic Book Review: Adventure Comics #503

Main picture on cover by Ross Andru & Howard Bender, the border is by Joe Rubenstein & Pablo Marcos. The sticker is from Rainbow's End in Oxford, where I purchased this copy.

Comic Book Review: Adventure Comics #503 edited by Nicola Cuti All good things must come to an end, they say, and this digest issue was the last one of the original Adventure Comics run. (It would be picked up again as a title 2009-11 before being cancelled for the New 52 reboot.) At the end… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Adventure Comics #503

Movie Review: Live and Let Die

James meets the new "Mrs. Bond".

Movie Review: Live and Let Die (1973) directed by Guy Hamilton Three British agents die in 24 hours. One in New York at the United Nations, one in New Orleans, and one on the Caribbean island of San Monique. This may have something to do with the connection between President Kananga (Yaphet Kotto) of San Monique… Continue reading Movie Review: Live and Let Die

Manga Review: Japan Inc.

Manga Review: Japan Inc. by Shotaro Ishinomori It is the 1980s, and Mitsumoto Trading Company is attempting to navigate the “bubble economy” that Japan is experiencing. We follow the activities of a small group of their office workers, and in particular the contrasting efforts of the amoral Tsugawa and compassionate Kudo. Which approach is better,… Continue reading Manga Review: Japan Inc.

Movie Review: The Buddy Holly Story

Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper all together on stage.

Movie Review: The Buddy Holly Story (1978) directed by Steve Rash We first meet Buddy Holly (Gary Busey) and his bandmates Jesse (Don Stroud) and Ray Bob (Charles Martin Smith) at a roller rink in Lubbock, Texas. They’re just out of high school and doing okay on a local level. But Buddy has a new sound… Continue reading Movie Review: The Buddy Holly Story

Book Review: Lost in Underspace

Cover by 100 Covers.

Book Review: Lost in Underspace by Kate Dane Kate Dane is a Minnesota speculative fiction author whose first novel is a romance between a lawyer and a werewolf. This is the second collection of her short stories. “The Interplanetary Olympics” starts us off with the story of Jackie, a world-class swimmer who’s trying to get… Continue reading Book Review: Lost in Underspace

Movie Review: Detour (1945)

Al is at the end of his rope.

Movie Review: Detour (1945) directed by Edgar G. Ulmer When we first meet Al Roberts (Tom Neal), he’s hitchhiking east, unshaven, haunted-looking, and reacting badly to a jukebox song. That song used to mean something different, when he was a pianist in a small club, hoping for a break into the big time, and singer Sue… Continue reading Movie Review: Detour (1945)

Book Review: The Bird’s Nest

Book Review: The Bird’s Nest by Shirley Jackson Elizabeth Richmond is, at first glance, a very dull young woman. She lives with her maiden aunt in a small city somewhere in New England in the early 1950s. Elizabeth has a nearly mindless clerical job at the local museum, but has no interest in the exhibits.… Continue reading Book Review: The Bird’s Nest