NEWSGASM >> 6.26.06
All the news that’s fit to capsulize!
THE SHADOW KNOWS … YOU CAN’T WAIT UNTIL FALL
The celebrated pulp novels of The Shadow and Doc Savage are headed back into print in officially licensed two-in-one collections, thanks to Nostalgia Ventures and pulp historian Anthony Tollin. Due in October, the first book reprints Walter Gibson’s CRIME, INSURED and Lester Dent’s THE GOLDEN VULTURE, complete with original interior illustrations! (Readers of Paul Malmont’s excellent new novel THE CHINATOWN DEATH CLOUD PERIL will recall that latter story being a major point of contention between his lead characters.) Having never had the opportunity to read either pulp legend, I’m hungry to see what all the fuss was about. Anything that will erase the memory of the wretched Alec Baldwin movie is A-OK with me; thanks to Son of Michael May for the alert!
‘DREAD’FUL AWARDS NEWS
The Horror Writers Association’s 2005 Stokers have been awarded, with David Morrell’s CREEPERS and Charlee Jacob’s DREAD IN THE BEAST tying for Best Novel. You can see the complete list of winners here, three of which we’ve reviewed: the aforementioned CREEPERS, the DARK DELICACIES anthology and the nonfiction HORROR: ANOTHER 100 BEST BOOKS.
EW FINDS CRIME IMPRINT ‘HARD’ TO LOVE
Hard Case Crime has found itself plopped onto Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List,” as part of the magazine’s annual double issue of “things we love right now.” They even scored a double-page spread. Longtime BOOKGASM readers know that Hard Case has long been aces with us, for many reasons, not the least of which is the cover for next March’s reissue of Gil Brewer’s THE VENGEFUL VIRGIN, at left. See what we mean?
I SEE ‘CAREER’-DEAD PEOPLE
Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan is courting controversy with Michael Bamberger’s THE MAN WHO HEARD VOICES: OR, HOW M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN RISKED HIS CAREER ON A FAIRY TALE. As the July Tinseltown tale reveals, the SIXTH SENSE director left his longtime Disney home because they criticized the script of his forthcoming LADY IN THE WATER too much. Which gives me an excellent opportunity to state how tired I am of M. Night’s enormous ego. I’m sure it’s rare that the suits actually know better than the creatives, but give me a break. He thinks he’s Hitchcock. He’s not. But a baby? SIGNS point to “yes!”
V FOR VAGINA
Usually when Alan Moore returns to comics, it’s big news. But now it’s for all the wrong reasons. His LOST GIRLS COLLECTED, due next month from Top Shelf, has raised the ire of the copyright holders of J.M. Barrie’s PETER PAN characters, of which Wendy is one of Moore’s leads, engaging in some decidedly X-rated shenanigans. Apparently, hospital officals don’t want to see no-holds-barred, supa-sex action between children. And you know what? Neither do we!
[...] MONDAY >> 6.26.06 Our interpid reporters for the NEWSGASM feature are still hard at work, which is amazing considering the pay (low-20s) and the benefits (limited beatings). I, for one, am pleased as punch about that, because now I know that there are going to be Doc Savage/The Shadow two-in-one reprints on the way. Who’s your favorite of Doc Savage’s super crew? Mine’s "Rennie" Renfield, the expert engineer with ham-sized fists that could punch the panels out of doors. He didn’t take part in all of Doc’s adventures, but when he did, you knew he was going to punch somebody. [...]
[...] Though The Shadow has enjoyed a long life, I personally had never run across him – bad movies aside – until THE SHADOW: CRIME, INSURED / THE GOLDEN VULTURE, the first in a planned long line of trade-paperback reprints, each collecting two novels of Walter Gibson’s cloaked and strangely nosed hero. [...]