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What Are You Doing, Barry?

emma-watson-elle-2011-8_thumbI ask myself that all the time.

I finished off the Captain Action novel awhile back and it was sent off to the guys at Airship 27 plus the license holders. Editor-in-Chief Ron Fortier gave the book a big thumb’s up so I think it’s probably on the fast track to getting published. I had a blast writing it and working with Jim Beard.

I also completed the Nightveil novel — “The Quiet Girls.” I’m really proud of that one and I’m hoping that Tommy Hancock at Pro Se and Bill Black at AC Comics approve of what I’ve done. I created a few new characters in this one and I think that some of them would make for good recurring foes and friends for Laura Wright. We’ll see if anybody at AC wants to incorporate the story into the comic book canon.

I’m currently working on the second story for Lazarus Gray Volume Eight. “Wait,” you ask, “shouldn’t that read Volume Seven?” No — I’ve already written book seven and it’s already in the hands of the good folks at Pro Se. It should appear later this year, though I suspect it will be after the third book in the Gravedigger series — also complete and at the publisher.

It’s good to be ahead on deadlines, isn’t it?

If you guys have any questions about upcoming works, feel free to ask away!

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Taking Action!

BARRY REESE JOINS CAPTAIN ACTION TEAM!

Airship 27 Productions and Captain Action Enterprises LLC are thrilled to welcome popular New Pulp writer Barry Reese to the Captain Action team. Reese, known for his fast paced, action pulp series such as the Peregrine, Lazarus Gray and Gravedigger, will be making his debut in the third Captain Action novel from Airship 27 Productions.Since their partnership with Captain Action Enterprises began several years ago, Airship 27 Productions has released two Captain Action full length novels; “Riddle of the Glowing Men” and “Hearts of the Rising Sun,” both by writer Jim Beard. Last year a Lady Action novelette, “The Sands of Forever” was authored by Airship 27 Productions’ Managing Editor, Ron Fortier.

“This is a really great franchise,” said Fortier recently. “Not only do these books appeal our pulp readers, but also to the legions of Captain Action toy collectors. It just seemed a natural fit right from the start. Jim Beard’s first two novels were a big hit and it’s been clear all along that our fans want more.”

Whereas Beard’s own fast rising success began to infringe on his available time, he was still hoping to get a third Captain Action novel done. Eventually realizing that would be impossible, Beard reached out to his friend and colleague Barry Reese to see if he was available to help with the project. After receiving approval from all parties involved, the two writers worked out their plans.

“I’m providing a full plot and chapter breakdown,” Beard explained, “as well as providing oversight for every step of the writing to insure characterization and continuity to the previous two novels.”

As for Reese, his own excitement was evident from the start. “As a lifelong fan of the Captain Action character, I’m thrilled to be able to work with Jim in adding new layers to the legend! We’ve both bursting with enthusiasm about the project and I can’t think of a better writer to be teaming up with!”

So there you have it, pulp fans; the first ever team up of Jim Beard and Barry Reese to bring you the third action packed Captain Action adventure in this continuing series from Airship 27 Productions and Captain Action Enterprises, LLC. Look for the yet untitled book coming your way in early 2017.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

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The Lazarus Gray Digital Box Set!

Press Release

RING OUT THE NEW YEAR WITH ACTION AND ADVENTURE!

DIGITAL BOXED SET FROM PRO SE PRODUCTIONS! BARRY REESE’S THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY: THE OMNIBUS EDITION DEBUTS!

Barry Reese, noted award winning Genre Fiction Author, has brought many New Pulp Heroes to life! One of his most popular has headlined four volumes of books from Pro Se Productions, a leader in Genre Fiction publishing. And now, those four collections are available as one book! THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY: THE OMNIBUS EDITION is now available as a digital ‘boxed set’ from Reese Unlimited, Barry’s own author imprint, and Pro Se Productions!

THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY VOLUME ONE- On the road to discovering the many secrets of Sovereign City, including his own identity, adventurer Lazarus Gray and his Assistance Unlimited team encounter weirdness, madness, and over the top badness on every page! Finding himself naked and not knowing who he is on the shores of Sovereign, a stranger takes a name literally found around his neck as his own and becomes Lazarus Gray! Forming a team of skilled actioners around him, Gray sets off to not only find his own truth, no matter how horrible, but to shine light on the darkness that plagues Sovereign City!

THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY VOLUME TWO: DIE GLOCKE- Lazarus Gray and his aides in Assistance Unlimited return for what may prove to be their greatest challenge… What is the secret of Die Glocke? Will Lazarus Gray and his teammates discover the answer in time to stop a power hungry madman and his undead soldiers? The Adventures of Lazarus Gray returns with an epic adventure where the fate of the world is at stake. Is even Lazarus Gray up to a task that could take him to the very gates of Hell itself? Also, Assistance Unlimited takes a case that will bring them face to face with Terror and the making of a Hero!

THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY VOLUME THREE: EIDOLON –In the third volume of Gray’s adventures, Lazarus Gray and his aides in Assistance Unlimited battle against their opposite number as some of their most dangerous enemies band together to form MURDER UNLIMITED! They’ve sworn to destroy Lazarus and his team, but is there another agenda that secretly guides this sinister alliance? Also, Gray squares off with a new foe- Eidolon! Who or what is this latest adversary! Follow Gray as he works out a puzzle that began in the steamy jungles of Peru and may end with the fall of a hero! Also presenting SECRETS OF THE DEAD, the first in a series of illustrated features by Barry Reese and Award Winning Artist George Sellas!

THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY VOLUME FOUR: SATAN’S CIRCUS- Two tales of pulse pounding action fill the fourth volume in the adventures of Lazarus Gray! In the first, Gray unites with the mighty Thunder Jim Wade to confront a menace from his past and in the second, the mysterious pair of vigilantes known as The Darkling and Eidolon return in a dark tale that reveals hidden secrets that will shake the world of Lazarus Gray to its very core!

One fantastic hero created by one talented and prolific author. Four Volumes bound together in a digital boxed set for fans of New Pulp and Genre Fiction everywhere. THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY-THE OMNIBUS EDITION, with eBook formatting by Russ Anderson, cover art by George Sellas, and cover Design by Sean Ali.. Get your copy for only $2.99 from Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/o7uhlt6 and from Smashwords at http://tinyurl.com/pq4loek.

For more information on this title, interviews with the author, or digital copies for review, contact Morgan McKay, Pro Se’s Director of Corporate Operations, at directorofcorporateoperations@prose-press.com.

For more information on Pro Se Productions, go to http://www.prose-press.com. Like Pro Se on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions.

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From the Vault: The Rook (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

A blast from the past – I loved the Marvel Heroic RPG system, which died all too quickly. One of the many writeups that I did for the system was the pulp hero that kickstarted my career — The Rook!

Barry Reese

THE ROOK
Max Davies

Affiliations: Solo D10 Buddy D8 Team D6

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
Compelled to Fight Evil
Family Man
Weirdness Magnet

Power Sets:

Gifts From My Father
Precognition D8
Telekinesis D6
SFX: Second Chance. Spend 1 PP to reroll when using any POWER SET power.
Limit: Uncontrollable. Change Precognition power into a complication and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity or remove the complication to recover the power.
Limit: Mental Strain. On any failed Telekinesis roll, turn effect die into mental stress and gain 1 PP.
Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any POWER SET power to gain 1 PP. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.

Trained By the Best
Enhanced Stamina D8
Enhanced Senses D8
SFX: Focus. If a pool includes a POWER SET power, player may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 step larger.
Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any POWER…

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Other People’s Pulp – Dime Novel Italia

Another great look at the international reach of New Pulp.

Karavansara

dime novel italiaSo far, Italy has missed out on the pulp renaissance and the New Pulp movement.
There are authors that are writing pulp fiction – not in the “over the top Tarantino extravaganza” sense, but as in classic, popular, character-driven literature.
What’s missing is a community and, if you will, a generic label for the writers and readers to adopt.

But something’s moving – and I’m happy to point out the birth of Dime Novel Italia, a G+ group that might become the seed for something larger to develop.
For starters, authors, readers and fans have a place in which to discuss their genre.
More, hopefully, will follow.

The community is aimed at Italian speakers and covers the Italian market of new pulp and assorted “cheap” fiction – but feel free to drop by and say hallo!

Related articles

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Pulp TV – Adventure, Inc.

Great read, pulp fans!

Karavansara

Adventure Inc_frontLooking for some diversion in this dead dead dead week of mid-August, when Italy all but shuts down and it feels like a zombie plague is on, I dug up the DVDs ofAdventure Inc., an old TV series from 2002 which I missed when it first came out, and shelved after viewing the first three episodes.

The series was apparently inspired by the exploits of real-life adventurer and treasure hunter  Barry Clifford – and this is the foremost reason of interest, for me, as I read and liked Clifford’s books quite a bit (we’ll talk about the guy sooner or later).

Then it’s an adventure series, and I’m a sucker for adventure.
And while a cursory perusal of the first three episodes left me cold way back in the days of yore, now boredom has been mightier than that initial disappointment, and I gave the series a second…

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My Favorite Comic Book Stories

jla-200Welcome back to Ye Olde Blog!

I thought I’d take a few minutes to talk about some of my favorite comic book stories today — some are storylines/epics, others are one-off issues. Most of them come from my younger days because nostalgia rules us all, don’t you know?

Here are a few of my faves:

JLA/Avengers by Kurt Busiek & George Perez – I was gutted when the original was scuttled back in the Eighties but this was a worthy substitute and I still pull it out to re-read on occasion. Great art and a wonderful story.

JLA 200 – This was an all-star extravaganza with a wonderful wraparound cover by George Perez. Basically, the original 7 Leaguers are mind-controlled and forced to fight the newer members of the League, with each chapter drawn by a different superstar artist (like Brian Bolland & Jim Aparo!). This was the gold standard anniversary issue to which I hold all others. Written by Gerry Conway.

The Great Darkness Saga by Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen. Amazing artwork, a tense story and the greatest use of Darkseid EVER. I was already a Legion fan but this put me over the top.

New Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman & George Perez. The whole damned thing.

Excalibur by Chris Claremont and/or Alan Davis. See New Teen Titans.

Sinestro Corps War by Geoff Johns. Loved it and it flowed smoothly into the later (also excellent) Blackest Night.

The FF/Nova crossover by Marv Wolfman. I really dug this when I was a kid, all the way up to the amazing Galactus/Sphinx battle.

Crisis on Infinite Earths — the greatest “crossover” of all time. When the first issue came out, I was so excited that I asked my mom to run out and buy it as soon as it hit the stands. I bought two issues of every issue — one to save and one to read. My “reader” copies were read so much they fell to pieces.

Action Comics by Marv Wolfman & Gil Kane. I was a huge fan of this run at the time and I was thrilled when it was reprinted in a big glossy hardcover.

The Hobgoblin Saga by Roger Stern. This blew me away as a kid and I still re-read it (and Stern’s return with Hobgoblin Lives!). Great stuff with some awesome JR Jr artwork.

The Generations Saga by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway — As a major fan of the Earth-Two heroes, I was psyched beyond belief to see the JSA and their kids interacting. Classic stuff.

All-Star Comics – The entire 1970s run by Gerry Conway and Paul Levitz. I adore it. I treasure it. It rocks so hard. That first issue with the cover announcing the arrival of the “All-Star Super Squad” is one of the greatest memories I have as a young comics fan.

What are some of your favorites?

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The “Other” Hero of The Rook Chronicles

Today I figured we’d spend a few minutes talking about the ‘other’ hero of The Rook Chronicles. Will McKenzie is introduced in the second Rook story and soon becomes not only best friend to our hero Max Davies but also a frequent companion on his adventures.

Some of the highlights include:

1937 – Will arrives in Atlanta and is introduced to Max by the mysterious Benson, a man who was risen above tragedy in his own life to become a hero in the employ of the government. The youngest police chief in the nation, Will has movie-star good looks and a fierce attraction both both the ladies and to danger. As we’ll see, the combination of those two interests is a particular problem for him! In his debut appearance, Will heads off into the Atlanta underground to help foil a vampire uprising “Kingdom of Blood”, The Rook Volume One).

1939 – Max and Evelyn become parents to a son that they name William, after their good friend (“Abominations,” The Rook Volume One). Later in the year, Will and an ex-girlfriend named Violet Cambridge become embroiled in a horrific adventure surrounding a cursed object, an ancient cult and Aleister Crowley (The Damned Thing).

1940 – Will travels to Berlin with The Rook and The Domino Lady to confront the organization known as Bloodwerks (“Bloodwerks, The Rook Volume Two).

1941 – Kidnapped by a Nazi agent known as The Iron Maiden, Will is able to not only escape her clutches but convince her that she’s fighting on the wrong side. Kirsten Bauer and Will are soon married.

Later in the Forties, we learn that Will and Kirsten are struggling to have a child. As of this writing, we don’t know if they ever succeeded or not. Will is actually in most of The Rook stories after his introduction but the above are some of the best. If you’re a big fan of Will, I’d definitely suggest you seek out “Kingdom of Blood” and The Damned Thing, both of which feature him very prominently.

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Writers Who Have Inspired Me

EmmaWatson-HarryCrowder03I’m not going to go in-depth as to why these guys have influenced me since in many ways, it would be hard to nail it down. These are authors that have been favorites of mine and are ones that when I read them, I consciously go “Wow, look how they did that! I want to be able to do that!” I certainly read and enjoy other authors besides just these guys but these are the ones that I’d list as inspirations (in no order other than what popped in my head). Some of them have styles that are very different from my own but I still feel like I’ve taken something from them along the way.

Paul Ernst

Robert E. Howard

Walter Gibson

Stephen King (“old” King anyway — ’70s & ’80s)

Michael Moorcock (Elric specifically)

Rob MacGregor (his Indiana Jones work)

Andy McDermott

Edgar Rice Burroughs

Frank Herbert (his Dune series)

Timothy Zahn

Chris Claremont

Clive Cussler

Marv Wolfman

Geoff Johns

Jim Shooter

Wayne Reinagel

Arthur Conan Doyle

Derrick Ferguson