Your Uncle Bill Wants You: Join the Pulp Legion Today!

Sharp-eyed pulpsters will note a new addition to the Pulp 2.0 blog >>>>>

It's a subscription sign-up for a new email newsletter we will be starting in March.

It's a new way to pass along those items of pulpy interest to an exclusive group of 1000 pulpsters out there. You'll receive breaking news, interviews, links and other coolness you can use to further your own pulpy projects.

Stuff you won't see here on the blog, and that will be for you exclusively.

So instead of having you cut off the box tops to a dozen or so CrackerJack boxes, or peel back the labels on some jars of Ovaltine, I'm having you give me your name, email and postal code so I can see where my loyal pulp legionnaires reside and send them the email equivalent of a jetpack or disintegrator pistol.

(No war bond purchase required)

Your Saturday Morning Cartoons: Mad Pulp Style

This is a sampler of the kind of cartoons I watched as a kid which scarr... er, formed my path in life. Enjoy.





And the next generation of this type of hero, though NOT produced by Hanna Barbera:



And of course the show that set the standard for these adventures (or is that Ventures?) :

Pirates! From a Superhero Comic ! Aarrrrgh!

From the upcoming Watchmen movie.

Pilots, The Internet and You...

Kay Reindl - she of Seriocity blog infamy - has a new post up on the pilots being put forward to production, genre, and network branding. You should go read it first. I'll wait.)

(Reads comics from Boom Studios, takes cold meds, masturbates)

Okay - great. Now you've read it. It's a long post that covers a lot of subjects about that multi-billion dollar entity we call Television. But in the interest of giving you "news you can use" let's focus on just a couple of things - namely pilots and branding - and how they can relate to your use of the internet:

Kay writes:

But let's look at it in all seriousness. Masterwork, for example, the Paul Scheuring pilot for Fox, which is about people who travel the world and collect artifacts. We pitch this show every year, and we're not the only ones. But if you're a Fox executive and Paul Scheuring and Jane Writer pitch the same idea, who do you buy it from? Jane, who's never gotten a pilot shot no matter how much staff experience she has, or Paul, who had a show on the air on your same network? The choice is clear. And the executives can't really be taken to task for that. It would be wonderful if the idea were the only thing that mattered, but that's not how it works. Of course a network's going to buy from people who've produced for them.

I can't find fault with any of her logic here - it's sound as a pound. You can't blame the networks for backing a horse with a proven record. So the point is - you have to have a record, a body of work to show what you do, and how well you can do it. These days, anyone can write a pilot script and try to sell it. The market is tough enough that the guy with the track record is going to sell his, even though the ideas are the same, and yours may even be better written.

Enter internet. Stage right.

The internet is your first job in the industry. It can be your network, marketing machine and production hub all in one. It is a place where you can show what you can do. You create shorts and serials and put them up on the web for all to see and marvel over... But you also back that up with spec scripts you've written for other shows. This aspect of your personal career growth and marketing strategy is going to be super important as more TeeVee folks cross back and forth across the web-o-sphere.

"Hmmm...Big name writer is going to create aweb serial for us. He's going to need a (small) writing staff to meet the deadline...wait, I know. I saw this guy's short on the web the other day. [click, click, click of the mouse] Yep, and he's a writer too. He'd be perfect - watch this. "

You have to invest in your career as if it were your business (because it is). As Kay puts it:

What's most interesting is that two of the ABC pilots -- V and Happy Town -- were written on spec. I don't know if Scott Peters has an ABC deal, but Applebaum and Nemec do, and they wrote their pilot on spec. Very interesting. There's something I like about networks buying spec material, and also about writers believing so much in their idea that they'll write a script to prove the veracity of said idea. It's also selfishness on my part. I'd rather write a pilot than pitch one. We'll see what happens with all of these pilots. I'm certainly looking forward to reading them.

If your goal is to be a TV showrunner - then write the show, produce it and put it up. It shows your writing skill, your producing skillset and your brand (what sort of stuff gets your creative wheels turning enough for you to invest in making it happen). And if TeeVee never comes calling, then at least you have something to work with in order to build your company, your brand, and explore other options.

Because as things change, there will be more options outside traditional media.

For the Independently Minded Filmmaker:

Film Independent's Directors Close-Up Series kicks off on February 4th, 2009 at The Landmark theater in West Los Angeles, with guest panelist Ben Burtt, the sound designer for the upcoming Star Trek film, as well hit films - WALL-E, E.T., and the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies.

This year's panels will cover the following topics:

February 4th - Music and Sound Design - The soundtrack of a film is essential to the emotional reality of a film. A director and his/her sound team reveal the power of sound, taking us through the process of designing and creating the soundtrack of a film. Ben Burtt (Sound Designer, Star Trek, WALL-E) will be this evening's guest.

February 11th - The Director's Vision and the Creative Team - From the initial stages of research to the execution on set, director Catherine Hardwicke and her creative team explain how they achieve the look of a film through cinematography, production design, and editing. Panelists include Elliot Davis (Director of Photography, Twilight, Lords of Dogtown), Chris Gorak (Production Designer, Lords of Dogtown), and Nancy Richardson (Editor, Twilight, Lords of Dogtown).

February 18th - The Independent Spirit: A Directors Roundtable - 2009 Spirit Award nominees discuss their films, their careers, and the way in which they have been able to balance their artistic integrity with the demands of the marketplace. Panelists include Courtney Hunt (Writer/Director Frozen River), Lance Hammer (Writer/Director Ballast), and additional directors to be announced.

February 25th - Writing and Directing - Through the work of directors who write and direct their material, or write for other directors, this panel explores the writing process and the writer/director collaboration. Panelists include Jonathan Levine (Writer/Director The Wackness), Howard Rodman (Writer, Savage Grace), Reggie Rock Bythewood (Writer, Notorious) and Gina Prince-Bythewood (Writer/Director The Secret Life of Bees)

March 4th - Casting and Directing Actors - Hear from every different point of view on whatís behind a great performance, as actors, a casting director, and director Rodrigo GarcÌa discuss the ways in which they collaborate. Reception following to be hosted by SAGIndie.

March 11th - New Visions, New Media - Explore how new technologies are allowing filmmakers to expand their palettes and take charge of production, not only to make their films, but how to get them to an audience.

All panels will take place in Theater 8 at The Landmark - West Los Angeles (10850 West Pico Boulevard at Westwood Boulevard) on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - between February 4 - March 11, 2009. Each panel will be followed by a reception.

To purchase a pass for the 2009 Directors Close-Up or individual tickets, please phone Film Independentís reservation line at 310.432.1222 or send an email to Reservations@FilmIndependent.org. Ticket prices are $180 for a series pass and $35 per session for Film Independent members, and $280 for a series pass and $50 per session for the general public.

Starting today until February 2, 2009, the purchase of a series pass will also include one free guest ticket to a panel of your choice.

For more information about this yearís Directors Close-Up or to register, please visit www.FilmIndependent.org/directorseries

Budda Budda Buck!

Produced in a classic Dick Calkins style no less! (with a heaping spoonful of SKY CAPTAIN thrown in for good measure).



From the YouTube page:

This is a 5 min. short film I did for my Intermediate Editing class at the Art Institute of Colorado where I am majoring in Visual Effects. The movie is inspired by the way Buck originally appeared in the early Twentieth Century,and has several nods to my fav movie Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow by the awesome Kerry Conran. This film took a total of four weeks to complete from start to finish. Everything was filmed in front of a green sheet thumbtacked to my living room wall, and the models/animation was done in the 3d studio max. Compositing was done in Adobe After effects.
The Buck costume was based on the soon to be released Buck Rogers 1/6 figure by Gohero.com's Steve Forde. Major kudos to Steve for reviving Buck as he first appeared back in the 20's/30s.

Gee- what will those kids do next?

That Rushing Sound You Hear...

Is Hollywood moving in to meet the demand of the internet.

Yes, we live in interesting times, folks.

Television isn't commissioning many pilots so creatives are moving around to fill, what they see is a void. However the internet isn't TeeVee, and there will be many challenges to overcome:

- less money upfront.
- a different creative/production/distribution methodology.
- the need for flexibility, responsiveness.
- the job isn't done because the episode is up and running online. The job is only starting.

Tonight on Geekerati: Marc Bernardin

Same Geek time.
Same Geek channel.

The Geekerati crew will be hosting EW Editor and comic book writer-guy Marc Bernardin and discussing his new comic book promotional series PUSH timed for release with the upcoming movie.

And I will probably be ranting (as well as dropping a few bits of cool gossip) in the aftershow, so you'll want to download the podcast.

The Mad Pulp Bastard Rants Again! Pt. 2,345

Edit to add: You can watch streaming video from Natpe here. And there's that little chat function too, which makes the web way cooler than broadcast. Back to me ranting (it will make sense, trust your bastard) :


Okay, guys - repeat after me:

The Internet is NOT JUST VIDEO.

I'm not a wealthy guy. I'm not an exceptionally smart guy. I am however a guy who can take what's there and apply it to what I'm doing in new ways. It's the producer in me - we solve problems:

We don't have a crane for the camera? No problem - we have a ladder. We don't have stage blood for that zombie? No problem, we'll add this Karo syrup to cherry soda and you can dribble it out of your gaping wound. Don't have an image to use to create this key art? Fine give me that little digital camera there on your desk and I'll shoot it. Be right back.

And so on...and so on...

So it really upsets me when people look at the way things exist, smart people mind you, and can only focus on the problems and not the "workaround." If we are to move the internet forward in any meaningful way we have to focus on how we can get the job done, and not how impossible it is to do. Quit focusing on what it isn't and focus on what it is...

Enter Mark Cuban, and his "The Great Internet Video Lie."

Mr. Cuban - I'm sorry but your premise is inherently flawed. The internet doesn't really care if it can't support 500K viewers at once through a single source. Maybe for news programming - I'll give you that. The point of the internet is that its an archive that keeps finding new viewers all the time. Every day I stumble across something, or someone new sees this blog and gets hooked.

The internet is not a broadcasting model per se, it's an open air market that takes place 24/7 throughout the world.

Let's use your idea of a great concert. Okay then - 500K people watch it as it happens. But then, they tell someone and that someone goes to the web and watches the concert too, or downloads it and watches it later on their way home on the train, or after the kids have been put to bed. Then those people tell more folks about this great concert... and so on... and so on...

Then - people who really liked that concert decide to buy the DVD, that has extras. Really cool behind-the-scenes stuff. Oh, and wait - there's a book you can buy too! And a t-shirt!

Because really - how many people saw Woodstock live? (I didn't because no, I'm not that old. Nurse!) How many people bought the soundtrack? Did they see the movie - maybe, maybe not.

The internet is different. It's not broadcast. It's not theatrical. It's not books. It's not radio.

It's all those things and more.

And just because it doesn't do exactly what you want right this very second, doesn't mean it's a lie. It simply means it's growing, maturing. So what if it doesn't give you simultaneous broadcast capability through one source? Just use multiple sources (CDN's) !!!!

Is that soooo hard to work out?

Besides. Internet video is going to change again.

Because it needs to change...to evolve.

Does Anyone Know The Name of This Font?

Email me your findings... thanks!

Do You Remember Where You Were When Dr. Manhattan Arrived?

And yes, kids. Television did used to look like that.

Trailer from Hell: Horror Island

Okay - so I'm really linkslutting today, but there's a reason. This is a B-Movie from the old studio system and it reflects the attitude of the time. That is:

"We have a release slot we have to fill with a thriller picture, we have the sets, the actors are on contract - so let's make a movie called HORROR ISLAND. Somebody call up the script department and get them working. We shoot on Tuesday."

While Horror Island won't be on anyone's must-see or Academy Award nominations lists it does have a lot going for it - nice cinematography, competent direction, a good-looking cast, and a lightweight story designed to entertain for 90 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mario Bava and the Art of the Title Sequence

From our good friends over at THE ART OF THE TITLE SEQUENCE come these two posts featuring one of my all-time favorite filmmakers/cameramen/designers/SFX artists --MARIO BAVA.

The first chronicles the opening titles for DANGER: DIABOLIK . Video here.
(and the ultra cool high rez poster here.)

The second features a look at the titles for another comic book movie BARBARELLA.











The video and that high rez poster art.

Go check out The Art of the Title.

No Explanation Required: Chrome Angels

Rednecks and Robots...


Chrome Angels Trailer from Leigh Scott on Vimeo.

For What it Cost to Produce and Market 2 Studio Movies...

I would have made 50.

Seriously. Read why the big theatrical game has a huge downside and why you won't see a new Narnia movie from Disney.

This story has a little bit of everything - extortion, greed, religious fervor, indulgence, politics... you can't make this sh*t up. All it needs now is a couple of dead hookers and a patsy to take the fall.

Chip Mosher Has Been In My Inbox All Day...

(which to the disappointment of many of you weirdos is nowhere near as gay as it sounds)

Lots happening over at Boom Studios today and of course, their Marketing and Sales Director, Chip Mosher has been on the case supplying the Pulp 2.0 Inbox with a plethora of press releases.

The first announcement is that all their kid-friendly Disney/Pixar titles (The Incredibles: Family Matters, Cars: The Rookie and The Muppet Show) will all be priced at $2.99. This is a full dollar less than most titles currently being released.

We love that. You will too, see?

The second announcement is that a new one-shot Potter's Field: Stone Cold from series creator Mark Waid and artist Paul Azaceta (Daredevil, B.P.R.D.) will ship to stores this March.

"I'm excited to return to this character," said series writer and BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Mark Waid. "I'm genuinely fascinated by the concept of a nameless avenger going out of his way to help everyone but himself, embarking on what seems to be a totally impossible mission. I created John Doe with a simple idea in mind, but the storytelling potential keeps me up at night. POTTER'S FIELD: STONE COLD gives me a chance to explore real-world crime drama."

Giving names back to the dead, John Doe calls upon the New York City's greatest natural resource, its people, to solve the mysteries others didn't care to solve or couldn't."

Which leads us to the third announcement today that Boom has launched another website:

MarkWaid.com

BOOM! Studios Editor-In Chief Mark Waid, award-winning writer of such series as KINGDOM COME, EMPIRE, 52, and AMAZING-SPIDER MAN and a longtime industry veteran, hits the keyboard to blog regularly at MARKWAID.COM about his years of experience in the field. Updated daily with new content, MARKWAID.COM will feature free webcomics, podcasts, vlogs, script tutorials, rants, and special guests on a regular basis.

"Who better to hand a megaphone to than a comics vet who's seen it all and done it all?" said BOOM! Studios marketing and sales director Chip Mosher. "Mark's earned a reputation for being outspoken. BOOM! is proud to sponsor a site where Mark can stand on his soapbox and harangue readers far and wide!"

"I don't know if 'harangue' is the word I'd use," added Mark Waid while glaring at Mosher, "but I've been searching for a regular venue where I can upload some of my comics stories and behind-the-scenes anecdotes and, in general, go on at droning length about comics history and comics criticism, turn over some rocks, and see how long I can go without saying something stupid and inflammatory that will send the collective wrath of comics fandom down on me. What time is it now?"

MARKWAID.COM kicks off by posting, free for viewing, the entire first issue of POTTER'S FIELD, the critically acclaimed series from Waid and artist Paul Azaceta. The series follows the mysterious detective known only as "John Doe" as he pins identities to New York City's anonymous dead. Other web-posted comics will follow, as will video and audio interviews, essays, and eyewitness tales of comics history.

Tonight on Geekerati: Bones of the Dragon

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman—the bestselling fantasy co-authors of all time and creators of the Gaming Fiction literary genre. First there was Dragonlance™, the role-playing game-based novels that begat a fantasy empire. Then there was Darksword, an original foray into the genre of Tolkien, Donaldson, and Brooks. The Death Gate Cycle soon followed; each novel a bestseller. Now, Weis and Hickman, the creative minds behind these incredible worlds, have teamed up again to write an epic new fantasy saga. BONES OF THE DRAGON (Tor Books; $24.95; National On-Sale Date: January 6, 2009) is the first book in the Dragonships of Vindras series—and an introduction to a new world, a new cast of heroes and heroines, and a new adventure.

Renowned for their extraordinary world-building infused with cultural lore and rich characterizations, Weis and Hickman published their first novel in the Dragonlance™ Chronicles, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, in 1984. Twenty-five years later, this dynamic writing duo has five New York Times bestselling fantasy series. Combined, they have written or co-authored over 100 novels and short story collections. Together, they have collaborated on more than thirty.

Weis and Hickman's action-packed, utterly riveting BONES OF THE DRAGON brilliantly launches the Dragonships of Vindras saga, an epic six-book adventure in which individual mortals will face tests of faith and character, and both gods and dragons will aid, abet, and battle as they see fit—to ensure their own survival…

To prep for the show you can watch the teaser trailer for this fantastic new book series. here.

Same Geek time, same Geek station.

Direct from Sundance: Panel on Distribution

Scott Kirsner provides an audio recording of the panel on Distribution he moderated at this year's Sundance film festival.

I post this as a lead-in to something this guy is going to post later tonight/tomorrow.

Distribution is key to making money at this game and it's getting weirder and weirder all the time. School yourself any way you possibly can.

Had a Great Sunday Afternoon

I ventured over to Van Nuys to see Fred Olen Ray, Jim Wynorski and Dave Decoteau at Spudic's Movie Empire. It was nice to chat with the guys who gave us such B-movie classics as HOLLYWOOD CHAINSAW HOOKERS, CHOPPING MALL and SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-A-RAMA.

(I do not make this stuff up, people)

What was interesting was listening to the guys speak about their careers and discuss the niches each has carved out for themselves. While these guys aren't household names they have been very successful with their movies and make a good living at it (unlike many other folks here in Hollywood).

If one were to take lessons away from their experiences, I would imagine it would be these:

1. Find your market and know it backwards and forwards.

2. Control your costs by writing, shooting and producing only what you need to make a professional looking movie and nothing more. That takes experience, getting your hands dirty and entrepreneurial spirit. This also goes to rethinking how things are done.

3. Stay in contact with your audience and know their wants and needs.

4. Love movies and moviemaking. When the chips are down you have to love this so much that you'd do it for free. Success doesn't happen overnight.

5. Rinse and repeat. Build a library of material and leverage that to distributors and audience alike. One movie is a fluke - what you need to do is make yourself a business.

Discuss.

Cool Pulp Design

Viking
from Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein.

Just like movies, these things have to be designed to be... Interesting? Enticing? Energetic? - you call it.

Media can never just lie there in wait.

This is simple, direct design (no unnecessary embellishments) and intriguing thanks to the tagline which clues us in to the fact there's more here than meets the eye:

A crime book for the 9th Century?

Sold!

NSFW: CRANK 2 - High Voltage

Yes, Kids take the title of this post at its word - NSFW. Seriously.

Go here. (Thanks Stefan)

(Edited to remove dead links and embeds. Pulp 2.0 tries to keep a tidy house)

Khan!!!

Khan and Mister Roarke are gone too.

Patrick McGoohan: R.I.P.

At last, The Prisoner has escaped.

Tonight on Geekerati !

A reminder that the rest of the Geekerati crew (Hi Shawna , Christian!) and I will be hosting Eric Nylund author of the HALO books and discussing his new urban fantasy novel, MORTAL COILS.

As a special offer from our friends at Tor Forge you can download the opening chapters of the novel
here.

The show will be live tonight at 7pm Pacific.
(and comes complete with a chat room)

While you're at it, you can browse through some of the Geekerati Archives. (featuring the first official announcement of that LEVERAGE show you may have heard about).

I Have Been Busy...

knocking down the dominoes. Yes, indeed there's been machinations goin' on. Back alley brokering. Dirty deeds done dirt cheap.

Soon there will be a new world order!

In the meantime why not buy some of my pulpy stuff you can see in the sidebar? >>>>>>>>>

Netflix Announces Indie Film Contest ala 'Project Greenlight'

From Video Business:

JAN. 8 | LOS ANGELES—Netflix, actor Josh Brolin and Los Angeles-based nonprofit Film Independent (FIND) today announced a film competition that this summer will award $350,000 in cash and film services to an aspiring filmmaker.

The largest U.S. movie-rental service via mail, Netflix will contribute $150,000 to the "Netflix FIND Your Voice Competition," while companies such as Eastman Kodak, Deluxe Entertainment Service and Panavision will contribute the rest in products and services, the companies and actor announced in a press conference at the W Hotel here today. Netflix will distribute the winning film on both DVD and in video-streaming form.

Not a bad gig if you can get it, but here's my one problem with it:

They are using film (from Kodak), film processing (from Deluxe - Hi Steve!) and transfer, and a DI (Digital Intermediate courtesy EFilm). Read more details here.
So that means you have $150K for production and edit, and $250K for camera package and post-processing.

If only you could eliminate the need for the film stock processing, transfer and DI color grading so you could streamline the whole process taking dailies direct to edit. You could take the time saved as well as the moolah and put it back onscreen.

But I guess you can't do that.

Oh wait. You can.

Gee, you would think that Hollywood indie folk would be all about innovation, and cutting costs, and putting the value up on the screen where it belongs... but I guess they're not.

Then again.

Kids, always always put your dollars onscreen. Think smart, not with your pocketbook. Learn to question things after you've studied them.

I wish the person who wins this contest the best of luck. Go get 'em, and show them your story. This is a great opportunity for someone to get in there with a fresh perspective and tell a whopper of a yarn.

I just wish you didn't have to use film to do it.

Edit to add: I realize I'm being the "my beer is half-empty guy" here. I apologize for that. No one wants to be that guy. Again, I wish everyone who participates in this the best of luck. Make it the best opportunity you can.

Halo! Halo? Is This Thing On...?

Of course it's on - it's the internet! Today the internet brings you free goodness to those of you who have a jones for all things fantastic.

Thanks to our good friends at Tor-Forge, we are posting the first section of the all new urban fantasy novel Mortal Coils by Eric Nylund (Halo: Ghosts of Onyx).

You can find the free PDF download here.

And you'll need this download in order to ask Eric all sorts of questions when the Geekerati crew sits down and discusses Mortal Coils with him this coming Wednesday.

(As well as his Halo graphic novel HALO: GENESIS, his Battlestar Galactica comic THE CYLON WAR, videogames, and other cool geekery)

If you like Eric's HALO books, and want to see something new and original from him (urban fantasy, fantastic atmosphere, and ancient mythology) then go here and order:

That Sound You Hear is My Jaw Dropping...

How cool is the internet?

(Yeah. That cool)

New Year New Pulp

From Coming Attractions:

Charles Ardai, Edgar Award-winning author and creator of the acclaimed pulp mystery series Hard Case Crime, announced a new series of pulp novels scheduled to debut in the summer of 2009: The Adventures of Gabriel Hunt. Featuring painted covers in the grand pulp tradition by artist Glen Orbik, the series will chronicle the travels and travails of modern-day explorer Gabriel Hunt, who scours the globe in pursuit of precious artifacts, lost civilizations, and secrets that could save the world...or destroy it.

"These books are for anyone who grew up reading H. Rider Haggard and Edgar Rice Burroughs or watching Harrison Ford wield his bullwhip at the movies," said Ardai. "We're talking classic adventure fiction, complete with horses, snakes, shovels, pickaxes, torches, traps, bottomless pits, barroom brawls, jungles, jewels, and just about everything else that's ever made your heart beat faster."

Authorship of each book will be credited to Gabriel Hunt himself, with the hands behind the Hunt nom-de-plume scheduled to include some of Hard Case Crime's most popular authors. James Reasoner is the author of one of the upcoming Gabriel Hunt novels. The first title is due to hit bookstores in May 2009, with subsequent titles following every other month.

Gabriel Hunt's initial adventures are expected to take him to Borneo, Guatemala, Turkey, Egypt, Antarctica, and the Kalahari Desert.

http://www.huntforadventure.com/

Words of Wisdom from The Writer-Director of REPO MAN

Via Fast, Cheap Movie Thoughts:

How do you know when the script is done?

ALEX COX: When they give you the money to shoot it.

Prisoner Free on the Web

In a move that could only elicit the response of, "Well it's about damn time!" AMC is streaming episodes of the classic 60's television series THE PRISONER starring Patrick McGoohan.

Go. Watch. Here.



"I am not a number. I am a free internet!"

Get Hexed Today!

No, I'm not talking about a witch's curse or anything like that (or am I? Hmmm...). I mean Boom Studios' new comic book release from our pal Michael Alan Nelson.

"HEXED is the new BUFFY" - The Express Times

"HELLBLAZER by way of JJ ABRAMS' ALIAS" - CBR

But let's let our buddy Mark Waid (God, he's written every comic character ever created) explain it all to you:




Go to Myspace, then go to your local comic shop and Get Hexed.

No Explanation Required: Rat Scratch Fever

Just in Case You Get Tired of Reading My Rants...

Not that it would EVAR happen, but you can hear them on Geekerati -- our show on Blog Talk Radio.

• Film and Television writer John Rogers discussing the writer strike, LEVERAGE, and comic books.
• Dave Goetsch (Co-Executive Producer on Big Bang Theory)
• Television writer/producer Tim Minear (Angel/Firefly) discussing the writer strike.
• Television writer/producer Rob Long(Cheers) discussing the writer strike.
• Variety editors David S. Cohen and Peter Debruge discussing film animation and this year's crop of films, including the remarkable 3D animation on BEOWULF.
• Game Designer and Author Matt Forbeck.
• Science Fiction author Susan Palwick who discussed her excellent novel "Shelter"
• Comic Writer/Reporter Marc Bernardin discussing his Highwaymen comic book.
• Film Critics Luke Y. Thompson (The OC Weekly) and David Chute (The LA Weekly and Premiere.com)
• Wold Newton Historian Win Eckert discussing pulps and the Wold Newton Universe.
• Comic Book editor and author Jeff Mariotte
• Game Designer James Lowder.
• Many others, including Shelly Mazzanoble (Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress)

And we plan to have an even better 2009! Tune in.


Hat tip to Shawna, Christian and Eric.

Never Trust a Nazi Zombie: DEAD SNOW

Japanese WATCHMEN Trailer

NPM is Alive!

I am in a seriously good mood today... only half the usual floggings for the troops and an added bonus of no salt in their wounds.

But the impalings will take place at sundown. It's not a good day without a few impalings.


(illustration by Rob Kelly)

Catch a "Daemon" by its Tale...or Lesson Learned from Daniel Suarez's Daemon.

From Content Agenda:

You may never have heard of Daemon author Leinad Zeraus, but get ready to hear a lot about Daemon author Daniel Suarez.

A computer systems consultant and fan of computer games, Suarez self-published his debut techno thriller in 2006 using a pseudonym he created by reversing the spellings of his first and last names.

Thanks to Daemon's growing underground popularity with techies and bloggers, followed by an April 2008 Wired magazine article about Daemon's snowballing fan base, Suarez got a two-book contract with a major New York publishing house. Dutton will publish Daemon on Thursday.

Daemon is the story of a billionaire computer game designer who plans to take over the world -- after his death. As soon as his obituary is posted online, a dormant computer program (a "daemon") sets in motion a dastardly plot involving identity theft, financial crises and murder.

The action takes place in the world of multi-player online games and incorporates existing technology including laser-beam weapons that deliver lethal electrical charges, unmanned vehicles used as killing machines, zombie computers and Web bots.

"I was really keen on using real technology," says Suarez, 46, who lives in Los Angeles. "To me, that was the whole point."

Suarez built his property where he knew there was a fan base - gamers, techno geeks, thriller-readers and futurists - and where he knew he could reach them - online.

He used real world technology readily available right off the shelf or online store. He made it all plausible, but just as important it allowed people to jump in and say, "Wow, I have that model computer, phone, etc..." thus igniting possible discussion.

He got the book into the hands of taste makers - people whose opinion the rest of the audience respects.

He branded himself as well as his book by creating a pseudonym that was distinct and searchable only to him...

And then he worked it. Now he has a movie option from producer Walter Parks and a sequel coming out from his new publisher Dutton.

I KIND of Like It ( Which isn't enough )

Some folks across the web-blog-o-scribo-sphere don't like this poster. Some of their points I have to agree with (It should be Chun Li in a fighting silhouette), but I like that it's a "frozen moment" of action.

But if this is what the Studio wants (to show off the cast), how do we "save" it?**

I would have sepia-toned the interior of the silhouettes to make them seem on fire (and/or added flames as necessary). Orange-red flames in contrast to the blue title treatment.

It worked here.

I might have added some energy to the title treatment as well. Speed lines or reworking the design to show Chun Li (cute little Kristin Kreuk from SMALLVILLE) smashing the title to bits. Show the audience this is a brand new STREET FIGHTER movie and it kicks ass.

Something to make them forget this.

Poster design is never easy, especially at the studio level. There are many masters' voices you have to listen to while trying to up the ante in terms of design and sellability. All while the clock is ticking.

** In this instance, "save" means "make it more coherent and enticing for the casual viewer who may see the poster at their favorite bus stop, newspaper, magazine or website." I think it's a pretty damn good gamble that didn't quite come together.

Those Little Rascals

H/t to Fred Ray for pointing this out.

Entrepreneurship on a Sunday

Been working hard on the business plan today.















4 hours straight and I'm only now getting out of my chair for an ass-stretch. I like that I'm so excited about this that I put in the time to try and get it all right - all the ducks in a row and so forth.

I've got bids out there for certain services I can't do myself due to time restrictions , but everything else is going to be based on the free tools available on the web, our chutzpah and our cadre of like-minded pulpsters who want to give this a kick in the pants and get it going. (or maybe just give me a kick in the boys -- Enthusiasm is hard to gauge.)


For those of you who know already - don't say a word. (Okay, you can tease a bit if you want) To the rest of you - the following pictures all mean something (at least to me). That's really all I can say at this moment.


(Oh and I don't no where I got all of these illustrations on the web. I thank the artists for allowing me to use them to illustrate my point. No rights are implied by my using them)

Pulpster Westlake Cashes In His Chips...

Prolific author Donald Westlake is dead. He took Tucker Coe and Richard Stark with him.
It was a massacre.

From The Huffington Post:

Westlake wrote more than 90 books _ mostly on a typewriter. Aside from his own name, he also used several pseudonyms _ including Richard Stark, Tucker Coe, Samuel Holt and Edwin West _ in part because people didn't believe he could write so much so quickly.

"In the beginning, people didn't want to publish more than one book a year by the same author," Susan Richman, his publicist at Grand Central Publishing, told the Times.

But one of Westlake's greatest creations, the sociopathic criminal Parker (the inspiration for this character) lives on courtesy of Darwyn Cooke and IDW publishing.

Happy New Year!

Just in case you haven't seen The Spirit movie let me save you 10 bucks and give you the highlights.

We are in a depression, and it's my sacred duty help you get the most entertainment value possible.

You're welcome.

(Take that, Will Dixon with your Sarah Shahi / Moon Bloodgood-ness!)