Movie Review: Drive Angry

John Milton has seen better days.

Movie Review: Drive Angry (2011) directed by Patrick Lussier John Milton (Nicolas Cage) was a bad person who committed many crimes. It’s no surprise he ended locked up for many years. During those years, his daughter grew up, joined a cult, left the cult, got married, had a child, and then was murdered by the cult… Continue reading Movie Review: Drive Angry

Movie Review: The Comancheros

Jake and Paul have a contentious relationship at first.

Movie Review: The Comancheros (1961) directed by Michael Curtiz In 1843, gambler and womanizer Paul Regret (Stuart Whitman) kills a man in an illegal duel in Louisiana. This ordinarily wouldn’t be a problem, except that the dead man (who’d falsely accused him of cheating at cards to eliminate him as a romantic rival) had a politically… Continue reading Movie Review: The Comancheros

Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021

Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021 edited by Linda Landrigan In 1956, HSD Publications wanted to create a new mystery story magazine. To boost sales, they licensed the name of Alfred Hitchcock, a famous director who was then the host of a popular television show. While Mr. Hitchcock otherwise had nothing to do… Continue reading Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021

Book Review: Hopalong Cassidy

Book Review: Hopalong Cassidy by Clarence E. Mulford There’s trouble brewing in Texas between the cowboys of the Bar-20 Ranch, and those of the H2. Meeker, owner of the H2, is down from Montana, where the rule was open range, and he’s not used to the strict water rights situation in his new territory. (It… Continue reading Book Review: Hopalong Cassidy

Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post

This cover is by Stevan Dohanos, who often did covers for the Post, and illustrates a conversation he had with a mailman. Note the two red stars on the sleeve for twenty years' service.

Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post edited by Ben Hibbs For many years, the Saturday Evening Post was one of America’s most popular magazines. Every week, it would show fascinating photographs, interesting non-fiction articles and a selection of short stories and serialized fiction. With more than 200 short stories being printed in… Continue reading Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post

Comic Book Review: Comic Book History of Comics: Birth of a Medium

Comic Book Review: Comic Book History of Comics: Birth of a Medium written by Fred van Lente, art by Ryan Dunlavey As a long-time comic book fan, I’ve been reading books and articles about the history of comic books since the early 1970s. It was inevitable that at some point there would be a comic… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Comic Book History of Comics: Birth of a Medium

Book Review: Law and Order, Unlimited

Book Review: Law and Order, Unlimited by William Colt MacDonald When railroad detective Gregory Quist is asked to look into why rancher Wyatt Kearsage isn’t allowing the Texas Northern & Arizona Southern Railway ro purchase right of way through his land, Quist turns down the assignment. After all, the rancher is probably just holding out… Continue reading Book Review: Law and Order, Unlimited

Magazine Review: Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine December 1978

Magazine Review: Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine December 1978 edited by Sam Merwin Jr. Private eye Michael “Mike” Shayne was created in 1939 by David Dresser, writing under the name “Brett Halliday”. The books were long-running and popular, and in 1956 Dresser licensed the character to a puiblishing company to be the headliner of a digest-sized… Continue reading Magazine Review: Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine December 1978

Book Review: In the Common Interest 2: Embracing Five Star Customer Service

Book Review: In the Common Interest 2: Embracing Five Star Customer Service by John Carona Disclaimer: I received a download of this book through a Goodreads giveaway to facilitate this review.  No other compensation was offered or requested. Mr. Carona is the founder of Associa, a community management company.  They work with homeowners’ associations, gated… Continue reading Book Review: In the Common Interest 2: Embracing Five Star Customer Service

Book Review: Heart of the West

Book Review: Heart of the West by O. Henry William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), better known to most readers as O. Henry, moved to Texas from North Carolina for his health.  There, he worked on a ranch for a few years before feeling well enough to take up his primary occupation of pharmacist, and fell in… Continue reading Book Review: Heart of the West