Sunday, February 10, 2013

The Crow Skinning the Wolves #3 Review



The Crow Skinning the Wolves #3
James O’Barr
Jim Terry
In issue three of Skinning the Wolves The Crow confronts The Commandant and the scenes between the two are wholly satisfying.  With The Crow the reader has established that The Crow cannot be killed, and in this the audience is looking not for a simple revenge killing, but an experience of retribution and revelation.  In this Skinning the Wolves #3 delivers. 

As The Crow assaults The Commandant the pair converses.  During these scenes the audience is treated to flashbacks as The Commandant remembers who The Crow was.  This is an issue of revelation and mediation, that delivers on both fronts. This was a product of great dialogue between the two.  

The artwork is again strong, with a distinct style that works to tell a story, and never distract from it.  While this book is less moody visually, it works not to distract the reader from the interaction between The Crow and The Commandant. 

By keeping each man nameless it also lets their battle of wills extend beyond the two specific men into something larger and more universal.  If your just picking up this book without reading the other two, you will probably be disappointed.  The Crow Skinning of the Wolves is a book that rewards the reader with rich complete story telling, and while the script is not overly complicated from the perspective of narrative, this is an issue of emotional revelation that was well earned over the previous two issues.  

Friday, February 8, 2013

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Schwarzenegger & Stallone bust back to back weekends

This is a bit non genre, but so be it.

Schwarzenegger & Stallone both bombed back to back weekends with The Last Stand and Bullet to the head respectively.  And it got me thinking about Arnold, and for such a strong man, aside from the Predator he generally faces foes that are pretty weak by comparison.  Here he is with Bennett from Commando.
He was supposed to be the heavy in the film.  Or what about the bad guy Salim Abu Aziz played by Art Malik.  
Hell, even cuffed Arnold seems to have the edge.  In Total Recall has a big throw down with Sharon Stone.
His biggest Franchise, The Terminator films, when he's the good guy who's he up against.  


So compare that with Rocky's antagonists, hell Stallone through down with Stone Cold in The first Expendables and let'  not forget Rourke in Get Carter. 

An action needs a good foe and Schwarzenegger's just been slumming for years.  





Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Win a Free Copy of Where the Dead Fear To Tread




Win a free e-copy of Where the Dead Fear to Tread, a novel that’s been called;


"...frantic, horrific, brutal, and without doubt the darkest thing I have read in years. Maybe in my life." 
Marc Nocerino of She Never Slept 
“The world of William Chandler starts out dark and grim and M.R. Gott is not afraid to make it darker and grimmer with every page.”
Dana Fredsti author of Plague Town
“…a combination old time detective pulp story, a revenge story and a good old fashioned horror story.”

Peter Schwotzer
of Literary Mayhem

“Where the Dead Fear to Tread is an immensely enjoyable read; jam-packed with great action sequences and wonderfully horrific monsters that will chill you to the bone.”
Dark Rivers Press

"It could be a future movie or video game franchise hit that you can brag about having picked up when it was just a humble indie e-book. Give it a chance and you may be surprised to find out Where the Dead Fear to Tread."
Robert Hibbs of Ravenous Monster

"...well-thought out. The main character, like the writing, is a complex man who you’re not sure if you can classify as “good” or “bad”. The story takes him through a supernatural mystery that will leave you wanting more."
Nerds in Babeland 

To enter you can like on facebook and send a facebook message to M.R. with your email address and preferred version (EPUB, HTML, MOBI, PDB and PDF).
Or you can mark as to read on your goodreads account and send M.R. a goodreads message with your email address and preferred version (EPUB, HTML, MOBI, PDB and PDF).
You can enter once through facebook, and once through goodreads to increase your odds of winning.  The contest will run from February first through the twenty-eighth.  Your email will not be used for any purpose beyond notification of winning. 

A police officer and a serial killer search separately for a missing child while running a malevolent labyrinth populated by creatures they never knew existed. 

Former prosecutor William Chandler, disgusted with his past inaction, spills the blood of those who victimize children to correct the ills he sees in the world. A self-admitted serial killer and uncomfortable with his actions, Chandler attends the funerals of those whose lives he has taken in an effort to retain a true understanding of the nature of violence. 

The carnage left in his wake is investigated by Detective Kate Broadband, who becomes progressively more comfortable with the corpses left by Chandler. Envying the power she sees in him, she pursues Chandler as each search for Maria Verde, a missing eight-year-old girl. 

As Chandler and Broadband draw closer to discovering what happened to Maria they are forced to confront The Devourer, an unnatural being trafficking in stolen children. 

Where the Dead Fear to Tread is a tale of hard-boiled macabre, bridging numerous genres to reveal a story of horror, crime and revenge. 

Sunday, January 27, 2013