Book Review: Mike Hammer – Complex 90

Max Allan Collins is the bestselling, award-winning author of Road to Perdition, the graphic novel that inspired the Oscar-winning movie starring Paul Newman and Tom Hanks.  Titan Books has been so kind as to send us a copy of his latest release in the Mike Hammer series, Complex 90.  Before his death, Mickey Spillane chose friend Max Allan Collins to complete the unfinished work.

Hammer accompanies a politician to Moscow, where he is arrested by the KGB and imprisoned. He quickly escapes, but back in the States, the government is none too happy. Russia demands his return to stand charges, and various government agencies are following him.  Why does Russia want him back, and why was sent to Russia with the senator in the first place?

This is Collins’ seventh collaboration with Spillane (check out our 2012 review of Lady, Go Die!), set in 1964 is once again hits hard with the violence and body count talk.  Mike Hammer has killed 45 Russians he admits to the U.S. government – like James Bond we really can just shrug it off; Russians just make for great baddies.  So there’s the sex and violence here if you’re still wondering.  The plot is easy to follow; the dialogue is strong but cliched sometimes.  Again, like Bond, women just tend to lay down for this guy at any moment.

If you want a solid detective story, you have it here.  Complex 90 is not your typical Mike Hammer story; he’s taking on some serious KGB thugs here.  The cold war isn’t a light setting for a book, so I’m glad to see they handled it with care.  At times it’s very over-the-top Rambo style; killing 45 Russians single-handedly?  You jest.  The important thing is, Mike gets his answers.  An obscene amount of bullets were fired for them, but hey, it’s great fiction.

ORDER NOW: Amazon.com – Amazon.ca

More CoF Book Reviews:

• Tales From Development Hell
• Mike Hammer: Lady, Go Die!
• Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion
• The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman
• Hollywood Movie Stills
• The Book of Alien and Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual
• The Twenty-Year Death
• The Dark Knight Rises – The Official Novelization
• Spartacus: Morituri
• The Cocktail Waitress
• Anno Dracula – Dracula Cha Cha Cha
• Olly Moss’ Silhouettes From Popular Culture
• The Great Showdowns
• Tarzan – The Centennial Celebration
• Dark Shadows – The Visual Companion
• Flash Gordon
• The Art of The Croods
• Peter Cushing – A Life In Film
• Plague Nation
• Supernatural – Carved in Flesh
• The Art of Epic

Book Review: The Art of Epic

Titan Books were kind enough to send along The Art of Epic written by Tara Bennett with a forward by director Chris Wedge.  Epic is the new film by Blue Sky Studios, who are probably most well known for the Ice Age series, and it looks to be their most ambitious project yet.

If you’ve ever picked up an “Art of” book you already know what to expect, lots of beautiful illustrations, concept art, and sketches.  If “Art of” books aren’t your type of thing, nothing here is going to win you over, but if they are, chances are you’ll be very pleased with what this book has to offer.

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Book Review: Supernatural – Carved in Flesh

Supernatural: Carved in Flesh is a tie-in novel that takes place during Season 7 of the TV series.

After Sam and Dean Winchester lost their mother to a mysterious supernatural force as young children, their father taught them how to hunt and destroy the paranormal evil that exists in the dark corners of America. Following their father’s demonic death, they discovered that they are descended from a long line of hunters and chose to continue their mission.

Reported sightings of a hellish hound and the discovery of newly dead desiccated corpses bring Sam and Dean Winchester to Brennan, Ohio. But when they catch the monster canine it turns out to be “Frankenmutt”, a reanimated patchwork of pieces from separate dogs.

Soon the brothers are on a trail that leads from mad scientists and biotechnology to a centuries-old alchemists, walking corpses, and an ancient and malevolent power.

Supernatural: Carved in Flesh is a new book based on the TV series “Supernatural”, it is written by Tim Waggoner.  Much like the TV show, the book hits all the same marks.  Dean is slightly cynical and is concerned they are wasting time on the “Frankenmutt”.  Sam thinks it’s worth looking at and what do you know, he’s right.  If you’re familiar with the show, you know that Sam’s hallucinations are sometimes getting in the way, it’s the same here as he’s reluctant to let Dean know about it.

Supernatural: Carved in Flesh offers a lot of twists and turns that keep it exciting while staying true to the “Supernatural” series.  If you haven’t watched the show you should still enjoy this story; it’s an easy and quick read is available on all formats.

Order now! Amazon.com – Amazon.ca

More CoF Book Reviews:

• Tales From Development Hell
• Mike Hammer: Lady, Go Die!
• Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion
• The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman
• Hollywood Movie Stills
• The Book of Alien and Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual
• The Twenty-Year Death
• The Dark Knight Rises – The Official Novelization
• Spartacus: Morituri
• The Cocktail Waitress
• Anno Dracula – Dracula Cha Cha Cha
• Olly Moss’ Silhouettes From Popular Culture
• The Great Showdowns
• Tarzan – The Centennial Celebration
• Dark Shadows – The Visual Companion
• Flash Gordon
• The Art of The Croods
• Peter Cushing – A Life In Film
• Plague Nation

Book Review: Plague Nation

Zombies are all the rage! In this over saturated market of zombie movies, comics and TV shows – why not books too? Well Plague Nation is there to fill this void. Plague Nation is the sequel to Plague Town written by Dana Fredsti – both books released by our friends over at Titan Books. The Plague series follows the sassy Ashley Parker as she battles the undead with friends, her love interest Gabriel, and a sassy attitude. (more…)

Book Review: Peter Cushing – A Life in Film

Next week Titan Books will release Peter Cushing: A Life In Film, here’s an early review of the book.

The release of Peter Cushing: A Life In Film coincides with the centenary of Cushing’s birth, and writer David Miller has put together a thorough and fascinating collection of anecdotes and memorabilia in this biography of life and career.  The book looks at Cushing’s early days in regional theater all the way to the successes on the big screen.  You get a look at his roles like Van Helsing, Frankenstein, and Grand Moff Tarkin (Star Wars), but also the lesser known roles.

I found myself equally interested in Cushing’s personal life while reading as well, such as being medically unfit for active service in WW2 or his friendship with Laurence Olivier that led to an Australasian theater tour and a nervous breakdown.  You will find that Cushing’s life was not easy, and the roles he took were often just to accommodate personal issues, such as the health of his wife Helen.

FYI: Peter turned down the role of Dr. Sam Loomis in Halloween (1978).

Cushing fought depression; there were suicide attempts and hints in the book that he had affairs.  This darker side of the book doesn’t try to cast a shadow on the man’s legacy and is done with a mature understanding that it’s information that’s out there and when dealing with one’s life, it’s coming up for better or worse.

This is a definitive guide written by author David Miller about the stage and screen career of a legendary star.  We read conversations with Peter Cushing’s friends and colleagues, archive material by the BBC and Hammer Film Productions, and previously unpublished correspondence with Cushing himself.  A must have companion detailing Cushing’s 60-year career.

This title will be released on April 16, 2013.

Pre-order now! Amazon.com – Amazon.ca

More CoF Book Reviews:

• Tales From Development Hell
• Mike Hammer: Lady, Go Die!
• Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion
• The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman
• Hollywood Movie Stills
• The Book of Alien and Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual
• The Twenty-Year Death
• The Dark Knight Rises – The Official Novelization
• Spartacus: Morituri
• The Cocktail Waitress
• Anno Dracula – Dracula Cha Cha Cha
• Olly Moss’ Silhouettes From Popular Culture
• The Great Showdowns
• Tarzan – The Centennial Celebration
• Dark Shadows – The Visual Companion
• Flash Gordon
• The Art of The Croods

Book Review: The Art of The Croods

I recently received a copy of The Art of The Croods, a book showcasing finished and unfinished stills, sketches and paintings from DreakWorks’ latest feature The Croods.  Did I mention there is a forward by one Nicolas Cage?  Well there is.

It’s 176 pages of great art and visuals, with so much to look at there is also a chance that you will run into some movie spoilers, so it’s best to check this out after seeing the film.  The movie is playing now with most of the reviews highlighting the animation, so it’s a great companion piece.

The Art of the Croods is a great behind-the-scenes book full of beautiful illustrations and informative text.  For any animation aficionados or someone who has never read anything about animation, I certainly recommend this book.  I prefer hand-drawn animation, but it’s nice to see the creation of a CG film this way.

BUY IT TODAY! Amazon.ca – Amazon.com

More CoF Book Reviews:

• Tales From Development Hell
• Mike Hammer: Lady, Go Die!
• Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion
• The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman
• Hollywood Movie Stills
• The Book of Alien and Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual
• The Twenty-Year Death
• The Dark Knight Rises – The Official Novelization
• Spartacus: Morituri
• The Cocktail Waitress
• Anno Dracula – Dracula Cha Cha Cha
• Olly Moss’ Silhouettes From Popular Culture
• The Great Showdowns
• Tarzan – The Centennial Celebration
• Dark Shadows – The Visual Companion
• Flash Gordon

Book Review: Flash Gordon – The Tyrant of Mongo, The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1937-41

Alex Raymond, creator of Flash Gordon, Secret Agent X-9, Rip Kirby and Jungle Jim is celebrated in our latest book review: The Complete Flash Gordon Library 1937-41.  George Lucas has cited Flash Gordon as an inspiration for the Star Wars movies, and undoubtedly has inspired decades of writers, artists and filmmakers.

Digitally restored and remastered by Pete Maresca, Flash Gordon: The Tyrant of Mongo is a great looking book showcasing the work of Raymond and his skills as a master storyteller.  It will please sci-fi and comic fans alike that want to look back on the days of comic strips in newspapers.  The Tyrant of Mongo collects the Sunday strips which detail Flash’s adventures across the planet Mongo and his quest to bring down the tyrant empire of Ming. The book opens with an essay by comics writer and Flash Gordon historian Doug Murray.  Flash Gordon: The Tyrant of Mongo was released on December 6th courtesy of Titan Books.

This book is certainly a passion project, and for fans it will preserve these legendary adventures for generations to come.

The Tyrant of Mongo offers readers a series of new, swashbuckling Flash Gordon adventures, including: The Fall of Ming, Ice Kingdom of Mongo, and Beast Men of Mongo.

BUY IT TODAY! Amazon.com – Amazon.ca

More CoF Book Reviews:

• Tales From Development Hell
• Mike Hammer: Lady, Go Die!
• Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion
• The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman
• Hollywood Movie Stills
• The Book of Alien and Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual
• The Twenty-Year Death
• The Dark Knight Rises – The Official Novelization
• Spartacus: Morituri
• The Cocktail Waitress
• Anno Dracula – Dracula Cha Cha Cha
• Olly Moss’ Silhouettes From Popular Culture
• The Great Showdowns
• Tarzan – The Centennial Celebration
• Dark Shadows – The Visual Companion