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Timeline of My Pulp Adventure Universe (updated 4/1/20)

gravediggerMajor Events specific to certain stories and novels are included in brackets. Some of this information contains SPOILERS for The Peregrine, Lazarus Gray, Gravedigger and other stories.

~ 800 Viking warrior Grimarr dies of disease but is resurrected as the Sword of Hel. He adventures for some time as Hel’s agent on Earth. [“Dogs of War” and “In the Name of Hel,” Tales of the Norse Gods].

1748 – Johann Adam Weishaupt is born.

1750 – Guan-Yin embarks on a quest to find her lost father, which takes her to Skull Island [Guan-Yin and the Horrors of Skull Island].

1776 – Johann Adam Weishaupt forms The Illuminati. He adopts the guise of the original Lazarus Gray in group meetings, reflecting his “rebirth” and the “moral ambiguity” of the group. In Sovereign City, a Hessian soldier dies in battle, his spirit resurrected as a headless warrior.

Continue reading → Timeline of My Pulp Adventure Universe (updated 4/1/20)

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Sprinting towards the end…

Rebirth_Wally-West_CDThe current novel was begun in earnest at the beginning of February so in less than two months, I’ve almost completed it. I haven’t written a book this quickly in ages and it’s a good feeling. The book has flashbacks to the 19th century and the early 20th but the bulk of it takes place in the modern day – you’ll see a few familiar faces from around the Reese Unlimited universe but mostly it’s about adding to the universe. So you get an all-new villain, a lot of supporting characters that I think will grab your attention, and a lead character with only previous appearance (Lazarus Gray Volume 11).

So who are the familiar faces? I don’t want to ruin all the surprises but you can definitely expect appearances by The Peregrine and Jennifer Black (a prominent character in The Second Book of Babylon).

I shared the awesome cover with you guys awhile back and I can’t wait to see what the book designers at Pro Se are going to be able to do with it. They always make my books into works of art.

The art accompanying this post is of my favorite Flash, Wally West, and is by Brett Booth.

 

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The Diabolical Dr. York!

yorkMost of the villains in my pulp adventure universe are of the done-in-one variety: they pop up, bedevil our hero and then get killed. The Warlike Manchu, Doctor Satan and Princess Femi are probably the biggest exceptions to that rule.

But what about the deadly Doctor York? Why doesn’t this bad guy get the credit he deserves as one of the big bads of my universe?

Who’s that, you say? You’ve read almost all of my books and aren’t familiar with Doctor York?

That’s because he’s faced The Peregrine multiple times but never done so in prose (at least, not yet!).

York first appeared in All-Star Pulp Comics (2011) # 1, in a story written by me and drawn by by Craig Wilson. Set during The Peregrine’s days in Boston (1933), this tale introduces us to our would-be master villain. York is a former scientist that is now in service to the Elder Gods. His body is the receptacle for dark energies that have had the unfortunate side-effect of altering his appearance. His brain now floats in a clear glass dome above his torso… York has plans to sacrifice the daughter of one of The Peregrine’s friends but our hero manages to foil the scheme and York is dragged off to the nether-realms by his angry masters.

Case closed, right?

Not quite!

Illustration 4York returned in The Peregrine Animated Script that was recently reprinted in The Peregrine Omnibus Volume Three. In this story (set somewhere in the 1936-1937 period), York has managed to acquire the body of Princess Femi, the immortal enemy of Lazarus Gray. York revives her in hopes that she’ll aid him in destroying The Peregrine but once again he is dispatched back to Hell. How did he survive his prior defeat? We’re told that York was persuasive enough to convince the Elder Gods that he deserved a second chance. I imagine they weren’t so forgiving after yet another defeat.

In The Second Book of Babylon, we get to see York make his debut in prose form — he clashed with the Cosmic Spirit of Retribution. Those events are set in 2011 and while we won’t be told right away what York’s been up to between 1937 and 2011, I’m sure we’ll get more details as time passes.

I originally created York because in both the comic book and proposed animated adventure I wanted someone with a really strong visual. He turned out to be quite fun and I have a feeling that he’ll continue to bedevil our heroes in years to come.

Image # 1 is by Craig Wilson and appeared in All-Star Pulp Comics # 1. Image # 2 is by Steven Wilcox and appeared in The Second Book of Babylon.

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Pulp Factory Awards

thumbsupThe Pulp Factory is now open for nominations. To nominate, you have to be a member of THE PULP FACTORY GROUP so join at right here today!

A list of my projects that are available to be nominated are…

 

BEST PULP NOVEL:
The Second Book of Babylon by Barry Reese

BEST PULP SHORT STORY:
‘The Swamp Manor Matter’ by Barry Reese (Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar – Moonstone Books)

BEST PULP ANTHOLOGY:
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (Moonstone Books)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOMINATIONS FOR PULP FACTORY AWARDS NOW OPEN UNTIL 2/24; AWARDS TO BE GIVEN OUT AT WINDY CITY PULP AND PAPER CON IN CHICAGO ON APRIL 17

Lombard, Illinois – January 27, 2019

Every year in April, fans gather at the Westin Hotel near Yorktown Mall in metro Chicago to celebrate the best in classic and New Pulp literature. As part of those celebrations, nominations for the Pulp Factory Awards are open. The 2020 PFAs will cover works published during the calendar year 2019.

The nomination process will be as follows:

Members of the Pulp Factory Facebook group have through Monday, February 24 to submit their initial nominations for the Pulp Factory Awards. Any work published in print in 2019 can be considered for nomination. (Digital-only books are excluded.) Reprints are not eligible for individual awards such as Best Short Story but may be included in collections if those collections feature stories published for the first time in 2019.
Nominations (by members of the Pulp Factory only) should be e-mailed directly to PulpAwards@gmail.com, with choices in any or all of the following categories. (You may nominate as many works in each category as you wish.)

BEST PULP NOVEL
BEST PULP COVER
BEST PULP SHORT STORY
BEST PULP INTERIOR ILLUSTRATIONS
BEST PULP ANTHOLOGY

The Best Pulp Anthology category covers any anthology or collection featuring multiple stories by a single author (a collection) or stories by a variety of authors (a normal anthology). The book must have been printed in 2019 and must have contained at least one new story. In the case of a new story plus reprints, the book is eligible for Best Pulp Anthology but only the new story is eligible for the Best Pulp Short Story category. Members are encouraged to discuss their choices on the Pulp Factory FB group but note that your nominations must be e-mailed directly to PulpAwards@gmail.com to be included.
After February 24, the committee will tally and craft a final ballot for voting (deadline to be scheduled), and that ballot will be submitted for fans to vote electronically for the awards. Awards will be handed out to winners during the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention on Friday, April 17, 2020
Questions and nominations should be directed to PulpAwards@gmail.com. This will ensure a more prompt response than reaching out to individual committee members.

Thank you for your interest, and looking forward to your nominations!

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Timeline of my Pulp Adventure Universe (updated 8/20/2019)

small_lazarus_batistaMajor Events specific to certain stories and novels are included in brackets. Some of this information contains SPOILERS for The Peregrine, Lazarus Gray, Gravedigger and other stories.

~ 800 Viking warrior Grimarr dies of disease but is resurrected as the Sword of Hel. He adventures for some time as Hel’s agent on Earth. [“Dogs of War” and “In the Name of Hel,” Tales of the Norse Gods].

1748 – Johann Adam Weishaupt is born.

1750 – Guan-Yin embarks on a quest to find her lost father, which takes her to Skull Island [Guan-Yin and the Horrors of Skull Island].

1776 – Johann Adam Weishaupt forms The Illuminati. He adopts the guise of the original Lazarus Gray in group meetings, reflecting his “rebirth” and the “moral ambiguity” of the group. In Sovereign City, a Hessian soldier dies in battle, his spirit resurrected as a headless warrior.

Continue reading → Timeline of my Pulp Adventure Universe (updated 8/20/2019)

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Checking in…

camilaSo The Second Book of Babylon was released this weekend and that’s probably a good time for me to say that I’ve started work on the sequel – I’m currently a little over 18,000 words into it. Once I’m done with this, I have a Gothic Romance that I started work on that I might go back to… or I have been dreaming of a return to Sovereign City to pay a visit to Lazarus Gray and company. We’ll see.

I’ve been binge-watching Riverdale lately as I try to catch up on the series. It’s definitely one of my guilty-pleasures.

On the comic book front, I’ve been re-reading a lot of old Ghost Rider comics, mostly from the Nineties and onward. I’m currently reading through the Jason Aaron run and I have a lot of mixed feelings about it — it’s enjoyably written but I hate how we have a gazillion Ghost Riders now and I don’t have a clue how Noble Kale fits into this mess that’s become the ‘true’ history of the Spirits of Vengeance.

Thanks to everyone that’s written to me that they’ve purchased Babylon. I hope you guys enjoy it!

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Press Release: Babylon arrives!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STRANGE ADVENTURES OF BARRY REESE’S NEWEST HERO DEBUTS-‘THE SECOND BOOK OF BABYLON’ DEBUTS FROM REESE UNLIMITED AND PRO SE PRODUCTIONS

Known for his innovative creations and exciting characters, Barry Reese is not only an award winning author, but also the first author to receive his own imprint from Pro Se Productions seven years ago. REESE UNLIMITED has become the stage for the adventures of Reese’s Peregrine, Lazarus Gray, Gravedigger and others to unfold upon, and now Barry adds one more blazing star to his unique universe. THE SECOND BOOK OF BABYLON introduces, and yes it introduces, a super hero as only Barry Reese could create.

Birthed from the horrors of American slavery, the spirit of cosmic retribution is called Babylon. Inhabiting a variety of hosts, the spirit has waged a war for the protection of innocents…but now he finds himself trapped under a mystical shield that has weakened his powers and left him without a host. With the world teetering on the brink of destruction, Babylon must find his way through a mystic battlefield that’s lined with betrayal, shock and violence.Award winning author Barry Reese (Creator of The Peregrine, Lazarus Gray, and Gravedigger) introduces his own brand of super hero into his REESE UNLIMITED Universe in THE SECOND BOOK OF BABYLON.

Featuring a fantastic cover and logo design by George Sellas, interior illustrations by George Sellas and Steven Wilcox, and print formatting by Sean Ali, THE SECOND BOOK OF BABYLON is available in print at https://www.amazon.com/Second-Book-Babylon-Barry-Reese/dp/1093713801/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?crid=1PAF49YFFCK8J&keywords=second+book+of+babylon+reese&qid=1556370966&s=gateway&sprefix=second+book+of+babylon%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-2-fkmrnull and on Pro Se’s own store at http://www.prose-press.com/store for $9.99.

The first book in this new Reese Unlimited series is also available as an eBook formatted by Antonino Lo Iacono and Marzia Marina for the Kindle at https://www.amazon.com/Second-Book-Babylon-Barry-Reese-ebook/dp/B07QZG11PS/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=1PAF49YFFCK8J&keywords=second+book+of+babylon+reese&qid=1556371129&s=gateway&sprefix=second+book+of+babylon%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-1-fkmrnull for only $2.99. The book is also available to Kindle Unlimited members for free.

For more information on this title, interviews with the author, or digital copies for review, contact editorinchief@prose-press.com.

To learn more about 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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Babylon (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

babylon_small_no_textBABYLON
Created by Barry Reese

Affiliations: Solo D10 Buddy D8 Team D6

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
Cosmic Spirit of Retribution
Unclaimed by Heaven or Hell
The Family Curse Unites Us

Power Sets:
Hell-Forged Armor
Enhanced Durability D8, Cosmic Energy Blast D10, You’re Guilty (superhuman senses) D10, Penance Stare (Psychic Blast) D10, Superhuman Stamina D10, Enhanced Strength D8, Subsonic Flight D8

SFX: Feel the pain you have inflicted on others! In an action including Penance Stare against a single target, add a D6 and step back the highest die in your pool by –1. Step up emotional stress inflicted by +1.

Specialties:
Combat Expert D8, Menace Master D10, Mystic Expert D8, Vehicle Expert D8
Milestones:
Vengeance is mine!
1 XP When you declare an opponent is a sinner and worthy of vengeance.
3 XP When you stress out an opponent you have declared worthy of vengeance.
10 XP When you encounter a truly pure individual or renew your commitment to deliver vengeance to all mankind.

Can’t escape my curse…
1 XP When you actively help a person in need.
3 XP When you battle a supernatural creature.
10 XP When you encounter Satan or one of his lieutenants.

Background Info:
The strange tale of Babylon begins with a slave named Gideon, whose taboo relationship with a young woman led to her murder at her father’s hands. Summoned forth by the unfair murder of a female, the Furies of myth attempted to gain revenge on her behalf. When the devil-worshiping father made a deal with Satan to save his own life, Gideon’s soul was offered up to the Lord of Lies… and Satan bound Gideon’s spirit to a set of armor forged in Hell. With this armor, Gideon defeated the Furies but was saved from Damnation by the arrival of an angel that argued that Gideon’s soul was not meant for Hell. A bargain was brokered in which Gideon would be empowered by both Heaven and Hell but claimed by neither. He would wander the Earth, occupying the bodies of his descendants, seeking retribution for those innocents whose blood had been spilled.

Though he had many hosts, his longest-lived was Daniel Higgins, a Jazz musician whose sister was killed by criminals in 1940. Together, Daniel and Gideon became a powerful force, battling a wide array of villains over the course of several decades. Daniel finally passed on to the other side in 2010 but his spirit was summoned back less than two years later as Gideon’s time with another host (Jennifer Black) ended abruptly. Daniel agreed to return to life and once again serve as host to Babylon.

 

 

 

 

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Timeline of my pulp adventure universe (updated 3/31/19)

gravediggerMajor Events specific to certain stories and novels are included in brackets. Some of this information contains SPOILERS for The Peregrine, Lazarus Gray, Gravedigger and other stories.

~ 800 Viking warrior Grimarr dies of disease but is resurrected as the Sword of Hel. He adventures for some time as Hel’s agent on Earth. [“Dogs of War” and “In the Name of Hel,” Tales of the Norse Gods].

1748 – Johann Adam Weishaupt is born.

1750 – Guan-Yin embarks on a quest to find her lost father, which takes her to Skull Island [Guan-Yin and the Horrors of Skull Island].

1776 – Johann Adam Weishaupt forms The Illuminati. He adopts the guise of the original Lazarus Gray in group meetings, reflecting his “rebirth” and the “moral ambiguity” of the group. In Sovereign City, a Hessian soldier dies in battle, his spirit resurrected as a headless warrior.

Continue reading → Timeline of my pulp adventure universe (updated 3/31/19)

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All Kinds of News

The Second Book of Babylon is literally just days away – and I’ve already gotten a look at the cover, though I can’t share it with you just yet. Looking forward to you guys seeing this one – it’s been a little over two years since I finished writing it and sent it off to my publisher and I hope you think it’s worth the wait.

In addition, I’m expecting to finish writing the Liberty Guard novel for Westerntainment next week. I’m close to 50,000 words on it now. Hopefully they’ll like it and it won’t go through too extensive of an editing process.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what to do after Liberty Guard and I haven’t firmly decided but I’m anxious for something different.