Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936

Cover is symbolic; the "cat person" in the story is male.

Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936 by various creators As I’ve previously mentioned, the “spicy” pulps were racy for their time, with descriptions of women’s breasts and thighs, and it being obvious that the characters are having sex, but never actually describing the sex or genitals. This particular magazine, despite the title, has little… Continue reading Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936

Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #2: Batman

Cover by Wally Fax

Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #2: Batman edited by Paul Levitz 1979 was the fortieth anniversary of the first published Batman story. Thus this special digest, showcasing interesting stories from each decade of the hero’s publication history. It comes with an essay by Mike W. Barr explaining each story’s significance. “The People vs.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #2: Batman

Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #36: Superman vs. Kryptonite

Cover by Hannigan & Giordano

Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #36: Superman vs. Kryptonite edited by Nicola Cuti Kryptonite is Superman’s most famous weakness, the shattered, radioactive fragments of his homeworld Krypton. The prototype version, “K-metal” was created by Jerry Siegel for a 1940 story that would have revealed Superman’s secret identity as Clark Kent to Lois Lane,… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #36: Superman vs. Kryptonite

Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18

Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18 by Rumiko Takahashi Note: This review contains SPOILERS for the first 15 volumes, so you might want to go back to earlier entries if you’ve missed one or more. Quick recap: Nanoka is a 21st century girl who was cursed by the cat ayakashi Byoki. She discovered that a certain… Continue reading Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18

Book Review: Strange Scottish Stories

Book Review: Strange Scottish Stories by William Owen Like many another country, Scotland has a bloody history of dark deeds done and tales of the supernatural to be told during long cold winter nights. This 1981 anthology features some of those stories as retold and illustrated by William Owen. Most of the stories are from… Continue reading Book Review: Strange Scottish Stories

Anime Review: Kengan Ashura

Ohma during an early fight.

Anime Review: Kengan Ashura Kazuo Yamashita is 56 years old, and it’s been a pretty miserable life. He works as a salaryman in the sales department at Nogi Publications with a manager who’s constantly bullying and belittling him. Kazuo’s wife left him years ago, and he’s estranged from his sons, shut-in Kenzo and delinquent Yasuo.… Continue reading Anime Review: Kengan Ashura

Comic Book Review: All Star Comics Archives Volume 7

Comic Book Review: All Star Comics Archives Volume 7 edited by Dale Crain From All Star Comics #3 (Summer 1940) to All Star Comics #57 (March 1951), that comic book series was the home of the Justice Society of America, DC Comics’ first superhero team. This volume covers #29 (June 1946) to #33 (February 1947).… Continue reading Comic Book Review: All Star Comics Archives Volume 7

Comic Book Review: DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #22: Secret Origins of Super-Heroes

Cover by Ross Andru & Mike DeCarlo

Comic Book Review: DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #22: Secret Origins of Super-Heroes edited by E. Nelson Bridwell “Secret origins” are a big part of the superhero genre. Since, back in the day, most superheroes had secret identities, just how exactly they’d come to gain powers or the motivation to fight crime was also a… Continue reading Comic Book Review: DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #22: Secret Origins of Super-Heroes

Book Review: Great Science Fiction About Doctors

Cover by Don Ivan Punchatz

Book Review: Great Science Fiction About Doctors edited by Groff Conklin and Noah D. Fabricant, M.D. While medical doctors are common and important in science fiction, stories directly about them or the field of medicine are a bit rarer. It was one magazine’s speculation that it would be difficult to fill an anthology with really… Continue reading Book Review: Great Science Fiction About Doctors

TV Review: Judge Dee Mysteries

Judge Dee and his bailiffs go undercover for an investigation.

TV Review: Judge Dee Mysteries According to historical records, Judge Dee is based on a real-life person, Di Renjie (630-704), a magistrate and court official of the Tang Dynasty who was well regarded for his ability to resolve difficult cases and many wise actions in governance. In the Ming Dynasty of the 18th Century, a… Continue reading TV Review: Judge Dee Mysteries