Eagle - The Original Adventures Volume 1

After many moons of waiting I was rewarded with the arrival of the first volume of EAGLE: THE ORIGINAL ADVENTURES by Neil Vokes, Rich Rankin and Jack Herman!

I have a long history with Eagle really, it came out during the big Black and White comics boom and instantly caught my eye because it had so many elements I enjoyed. Kung Fu? Check! Mystic Mayhem? Check! Dystopian science fiction hard edged noir? Check! A big honking purple guy called DEATH'S HEAD?? Oh check yes... They had me hook line and sinker. The initial 12 issues stand as one of the best indies of the 80s when read as a stand alone unit. Back when a double sized issue meant something, #12 of Eagle was a king sized treat amidst a slumping big 2 "event" period. Also, I have some bittersweet memories of reading this book when a particularly close relative was sick and in the hospital. You know you really ENJOY something when you find yourself digging for something to read while you sit up all night at a bedside.
Eagle was that book.
Some years later I met Neil via the Eurotrash Paradise and I remember just typing "Neil "EAGLE" Vokes? Holy CRAP!! Of course, he has done lots of other stuff, but he'll always be Eagle's proud papa to me. We became good friends...but hey, I can say this without bias and be honest. I was a fan of this guy long before I knew him as the cherub faced man with the devilish dervish hands.

So...what is in this book and why do you NEED it? Well, you need it because if you are a comic fan and remember the book at all, revisiting the early issues will bring you back to not just the story, but the very best of that period of collecting comics. There were some excellent first issues coming out back then when creators (many that would go on to be quite famous) were cutting loose and putting out books that they personally felt and wanted to present. Grendel comes to mind, but I've long placed Eagle and the first Capital City (!!) issue of Whisper as the tops of the heap. You get the first 3 issues, which introduce Richard Eagle, Wulfgar, Acacia, Alarik and the rest of the crew in fine fashion. Fans of Neil's work will find these books very interesting if they have not seen them-while they look different in some ways, there is a raw energy in every panel that he has harnessed and refined over the years. But they also feel just right-with tons of the trademarked Vokes fight choreography (the man sure does love his kung fu flicks) and a weird sense of ANYTHING can happen in the next panel that you don't often see.

Oh, and there are ninja. I love ninja. Anything ninja is good.

But the package doesn't stop at the three issues (which are full issues, not the independent books you see today that have about 14 pages of story and a ton of house ads for other 14 page books full of house ads for the book you just paid for)...no, it features a lot of bonus material. This is the Criterion DVD release of Eagle!


First up is The History of Eagle-a fascinating montage of editorials from the original books that were written by Rich Rankin and annotated by Neil Vokes. I love it because not only do you get a hands on history, but one that progressed with the rise and fall of the book and the independent comics market as well. From early success to cancellation notice, it really is a compelling read beyond the subject matter. I always looked forward to the original editorials... I knew who Siri was a very very long time before she would be giving my kids juice boxes in her new home. Those wacky Eaglers were always really upfront and made the editorial parts of the book a lot of fun to read.


After the main presentation is a selection of artwork that includes THE Vokes / Rankin Bruce Lee shot I've always enjoyed so much, the first 3 E-Book covers, an amazing Eagle's Girls piece by Neil and Michael Avon Oeming from 1995, a great 1986 Christmas card (Eisner would love that chimney!) and some concept art for one of the "next phase" Eagle tales. This includes an image of Richard Eagle done in 2001 that I find is one of the most compelling images, very quiet and very strong, that Neil has put to paper.

Then (yes...there is more) there is an essay about those "next phase" books! Eagle: The New Adventures is an essay on how the original series was created and the things that have happened in between the now and then of Eagle's next appearance. Most excitingly is a print version of the first pages of Eagle:Legacy...and this is a FANTASTIC knock down drag out battle that makes me happy with every little image. Comparing it to the issues that you just read is amazing-Eagle has matured stylistically along with Neil. In many ways I think Eagle will stand as Neil's real achievement, his earliest works as a professional artist dovetail neatly in this character as he brings all his talents to bear on him. Fight scenes! High Drama! Weird Crackle! Inner Orbscapes! And yes...a wonderful sense of motion in the parts where the characters have to do all that talkin' and gesturin' will be there as well.

Hey, I'm excited...and I hope that those that haven't read the book will try it. Or if you enjoyed The Black Forest, The Wicked West, Parliament of Justice or even Neil's Spidey/Dr. Strange book and want to have some fun reading a book that just doesn't slow down for a second-check it out.

You can order a copy from LULU.com by clicking HERE or better yet, you can get a signed copy, direct from Neil that will also include a sketch for only 30 dollars (barely more than a copy from Lulu.com after shipping by the way). Contact him at ndv45@comcast.net for details. Or just email him EAGLE LIVES in all caps. He'll know I sent you.

Also, you can preview the book via Lulu, or check out the new OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE.

Eagle Lives again...good times both looking back and going forwards! Check yer orb at the door and check this book out.

Project...? POST-APOCALYPTIC PEPLUM??

Again, I'm sorry for the delay everyone, lots of curve balls in the real world lately, but of them all-the best was spending hours dreaming up names and ideas to go with faces and swords on the project I mentioned in the post below this one. Neil Vokes is a friend, and aside from that he is someone that I've followed the work output of for many years. Check out my EAGLE BLOG, or look at the VOKES tab for more on Neil and my take on some of his work.

And yeah...this is the guy who did the YOR poster I love so much.

I can honestly say that I have only called two people Sifu over the years, and Neil is one of them. So, I'm beyond hyped up and my poor little skull is working triple time to contain the ideas brimming out. What comes from Neil's pencils will undoubtedly go beyond even what I can see in my minds eye-and I think it will clonk some heads. Hint hint...I'm going in to this using the Title of this post as my starting point. Below is a sketch Neil has for some of the main characters-and believe you me I have stories for them all, and then some!

For more details, be sure to go check out this post at Neil Vokes' Blog.
As we go along, I'm going to be sure to update the blog (or perhaps one of its very own!) and keep everyone in the loop on this adventure.

Get ready for a BIG adventure that will KRACKLE yer brain and make you feel like a TRUE BELIEVER.

Werewolves And The Blind Dead by Neil Vokes

I was scanning up the original Neil Vokes artwork from Ascension Of The Blind Dead for comicartfans.com this week, and I think it is so great it deserves posting here as well. Neil not only provided this fantastic artwork for my story, he included some cool roughs and work sheets. So, as with Belinsky's great Eurocine proposals-I present another fantastic artist's process. I love the way the tiny little drawing fleshes out, and I'm especially fond of the second rough drawing. My somewhat evil Werewolf Woman looks amazing in this draft, truly Vokesian. I left the scans fairly large, so click and dig into the details.
Sometime soon I'll hopefully be able to present The Claws Of Frankenstein Island as well.
Enjoy this little thing I call The Progression To Ascension Of The Blind Dead. And don't forget you can see tons of great Vokes art at EAGLE LIVES! And if you want to really see some amazing swag, you should check out Neil's entries at ComicArtFans.com. Follow the link and tap VOKES into the search box. Monsters and Maidens await.

Eurotrash Pinnacle Project - Neil Vokes

Neil Vokes drops in for his list of ten top Eurotrash films. If you have yet to experience Neil and his artwork, you need to make sure to go to the online home of Neil's recent projects HERE. You can check out The Wicked West, The Black Forest or just bug him (as I do) for a return of his character EAGLE as soon as possible! You can read lots more bio stuff at Comicspace right now as well.

INFERNO--probably my fave Argento (SUSPIRIA is a very close 2nd) and I think I just love the style of this because it reminds me of my beloved Bava-which isn't that surprising considering his actual involvement in the film.

HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD --perhaps not Euro "trash",but it's my list,so there ;o)
Another Bava and a great one-my favorite peplum next to Steve Reeves' HERCULES (which,yes,Bava worked on-lol) And it has Christopher Lee vs Reg Park,baby!

LADY FRANKENSTEIN --a given on any ETPer's list,in my opinion,if only for the magnificent Sara Bey/Rosalba Neri's nipples! (Bobby T and I did a sort of love/lust poem to her in the recent TWW2)

BLACK SUNDAY --Bava's masterpiece! And in glorious B & W!! A continuing inspiration to my storytelling and one of the films I'd take to that mysterious desert island if I had to take only ten films (and a dvd player...and a generator...and...;o)

WHIP AND THE BODY --BAVA! CHRISTOPHER LEE! BAVA!! DALIAH LAVI! WHIPS! ...BAVA!!!
...well...you get the point...;o)

NOSFERATU IN VENICE --not a great flick,but it has style to spare (you wanna make an atmospheric horror movie? Venice is the go to place,baby!) just add K2 throwing priests out a window onto a metal grating and gratuitous female nudity and you have the ingredients...;o)

DEVIL'S NIGHTMARE --I haven't watched this in a few years so today this is on my list,but I might change my mind tomorrow-it was one of the 1st to pop into my head when asked,so it must have made an impression-I can still recall the style,Erika Blanc and Daniel Emilfork (so great in CITY OF LOST CHILDREN-born to play the Vulture in Spider-Man ;o) so...

HORROR EXPRESS --Lee ("It's a fact. And there's no morality in a fact.") and Cushing ("Monsters? We're British,you know!") and Telly ("Ahhh, we got lots of innocent monks!") against an ancient evil living in a missing link who fries your brains while on a scenic train trip...classic!

FEMALE VAMPIRE/EROTIKILL/THE SWALLOWERS/BARE BREASTED COUNTESS,etc...--Lina Romay in her "masterpiece"...say-no-more...:o)

SPIDER'S LABYRINTH--I'm still pondering this one,but it's fresh in my mind and Hell...it's a visual feast,that's for sure!

Neil Vokes pays tribute to Paul Naschy

Neil Vokes' artwork is no stranger to this blog, and when he took up the task of paying tribute to Paul Naschy I had high hopes.  As usual he surpassed even my expectations!  Check this great Daninsky out...and for even MORE images, go to his blog right here.  THAT'S ALL VOKES!

Temporal Redundancy-Richard Eagle Lives!!

A new project in the works that should be keeping me busy is the freshly launched EAGLE LIVES blog called Temporal Redundancy-The Inner Circle Of Richard Eagle. Eagle is one of my all time favorite comics, one that came during the black and white boom of the 80's, yet managed to keep a place in my imagination for the decades that followed. A mixture of crazed martial arts, science fiction, alternate timelines and name drops and inspiration from many of my own favorite genres and films-Eagle simply ruled the stands in my mind.
In a totally unrelated fashion I met Neil Vokes-via the Eurotrash Paradise. You couldn't meet a nicer guy with that much talent if you tried, and I think he was a little surprised when on one of my first posts I called him Neil "EAGLE" Vokes. Neil has done a whole lot of stuff (check out the sidebar on the Eagle Lives site for proof) and has finally gone back to what I think of as his home base...Richard Eagle.
Yeah, Eagle is super bad!
Now that is exciting for me as a reader, because I've become quite jaded these days and spend more time reading my Essential Marvel books then anything on the stands today-so I'm down for a reason to hit the comic shops again. But even cooler was that I've actually become involved in the project. I'll be updating the Eagle blog in a slew of styles, all of which I think are pretty exciting.... so if you are a comics fan, by all means check it out. You like martial arts movies? You need to see this book. And just wait, nobody draws the weird and wacked out mega mindways of the internal struggle of man vs. orb like Vokes. Believe me on that...you'll dig it. So go, read it and I'll be posting more Thriller: A Cruel Picture stuff this weekend as well. I'm super close to a new family arrival, so all engines are go go go!

More YOR because these are the Vokes folks!!

Yor week, ah what a memory. I'm on a peplum kick right now thanks to the recently released Mill Creek 50 pack of muscular mayhem-but nobody beats Yor and his fuzzy boots. Ever!
At the end of the YorFest I posted up a great bit of artwork from comics uber-guy Neil Vokes that was done as an April Fools Joke (that I feel ALL THE WAY on, I love Yor enough to believe this could happen!!) HERE. But you know me, I have to keep my Yor's World Shrine a goin', and asked to procure Neil's original art. For those of you that don't know, Senor V has taken on many of the comic greats (Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Tarzan... and of course CONGORILLA baby, the man knows his monkey mayhem) and also produced one of the 80's black and white booms most memorable runs with Eagle (which you can get the first issue of in e-book format here). So, a YOR item was a must. Besides that, the guy is a gent/scholar and tolerates my faux hate for Mario Bava with style. You can learn a lot more about what he and his crew of merry men are up to at THE BLACK FOREST.NET If you like horror (and I would think you do if you are reading this), you need to check out The Black Forest and The Wicked West (watch for part 2 coming soon). And if you say to me... "but I don't read comic books" I double suggest these, a great blend of art and good horror storytelling.
When the package arrived I couldn't wait to get it framed up and into the proper place in the Yor collection (next to the giant Druillet poster of course)-but Neil also included some roughs that were totally fun to look at, including a great alternate ad that I'd love to see a finished version of. It shows off the Vokes ability to do martial arts (not that Reb Brown could do a kick like this of course) and features more Yor in battle action. Enjoy these, and I bet this will bring a smile to Edoardo Margheriti's face, he was inside the big dinosaur suit sketched here! A Tomb It May Concern tip of the hat to Miles Gunter as well of course...any friend o' Yor is a pal o' mine.
As always, I added big clickable images, the thumbnails don't do any justice to them. Click...enjoy! And remember, we may live in it, there are artistic representations of it, but it's YOR'S WORLD, he's the man!

Year End Wrap-Up...faves of the year! Comics!

I hope everyone had a great holiday...this week I'll be recapping some of my favorite things of the year. LOTS of amazing things passed my desk this year, so it will be tough-so I'll start with an easy one.
My favorite comic book page of the year (and I probably read many thousands!) has to be page 44 of The Wicked West 2-Abomination. I got a peek at it pre-publication and had to restrain myself from actually having my jaw crack off. This flashback (which starts on the previous page) is a perfect evoking of the gauziest eurohorror gothic flashbacks-an effect that isn't easy to capture on paper I'm sure. When a sequential page of artwork can evoke a memory of your favorite scores and you start to hum while reading, then you know it is a winner. Neil Vokes hit the atmosphere perfectly, and this page is also such a key moment in the story by Robert Tinnell that it is easily my favorite moment of the year in front of a comic book. The book is loaded with great stuff, but Abomination is so great that it sets the bar over the top of perfect. It may be my love of the European Horrors and Spaghetti Westerns that the creators were celebrating and actually adding their own stamp to (even better than Dario Argento can these days)-I'm biased but you can't convince me I'm not right. Rosalba Neri...Cotton Coleridge (I may be nuts, but he looks a bit like Tinnell to me...check out his truly amazing and stunningly resonant Chelation Kid strip and compare)...dark to light compositioning that boggles the mind... Rosalba Neri... awesome.
You can get this book here:
Wicked West 2-Abomination
But you'll want this as well. The Wicked West.
Heck, get yourself some Black Forest as well, and Black Forest 2 contains...yup pardner...a tale of The Wicked West!
Here we are... art by Neil Vokes and story by Robert Tinnell...The page o' the year! Click to make it pretty and BIG!

Gauntlet! Early Neil Vokes n' Rich Rankin story...at last!

Now this is really nice, cool comics cat Neil Vokes and his Eagle cohort Rich Rankin's first published work in Comico Primer #6 is now online HERE. Rough? Maybe a bit, but page 7 is awesome fun and the mix of fantasy and science fiction would serve the dynamic duo well when Eagle was hatched. Be sure to poke around co2 Comics for more fun, the Reggie Byers story is great as well!

They Call Her One Eye-Visions Of Christina Lindberg

Any reader of Tomb It May Concern is probably aware of my long standing love of THRILLER-A CRUEL PICTURE / THEY CALL HER ONE EYE. So, in conversation a few months back on COMIX THAT WITNESS MADNESS I was wondering what image, or theme even, is one that you would like to see interpreted and redone. Since a few of the guys there are top rate artists it got me thinking and I realized that I'd LOVE to create a sketchbook to have my favorite artists do renditions of images from Thriller. Flash forward and my Christmas card arrives from Ade Salmon. Not only was the package loaded with some great fun (including a book that I'll be reviewing shortly) but inside the card is the above Christina image-a classic One Eye shot to say the least.
I love Ade's work and have crowed about it in the past-this one takes an image that is deeply rooted in my own personal canon of exploitation enjoyment and does exactly as I'd hoped could be done. This little sketch takes Christina and gives her the flair of the artists skill without diminishing the image in any way. Truly incredible, and I have to thank Ade one more time for it...
I'll be saving that sucker in the very first page of my Christina collection.

And lucky for me, I've got some crazy skilled pals...because then Neil Vokes (yes, Neil EAGLE Vokes as I call him, as well as Sifu) took up the challenge.
The below is the result of "putting something together" as he would say. Frankly, it blows me away and showcases Neil's style and ability to find just the right images to build up a great overall picture that captures a lot of the essence of Thriller. And again... I have to thank Neil for the amazing work. Check it out...the ultimate cover to the THEY CALL HER ONE EYE comic ;)




So what can be next? I'll have to put my head to finding artists that can interpret my favorite exploitation icon-a little project for 2009!

Claws Of Frankenstein Island!

Just a quick weekend share-I'm delighted to have the artwork for my next story, THE CLAWS OF FRANKENSTEIN ISLAND. Neil Vokes (of Eagle, Wicked West, Black Forest and much much more fame) not only took my idea, but expanded it so far over the top it makes me want to go further as well. A harrowing tale of survival for a troupe of female wrestlers stranded on an island where nature has gone berserk. But nature may not be their worst enemy... a diabolical necro-scientist lurks deep in the hills of the supposedly deserted island. And he loves to build deadly toys...that kill!

Look for it soon-but for now enjoy the amazing Vokes artwork!
Be sure to check out Neil's YAHOO GROUP as well as the EAGLE BLOG for more.

Summer Vacation and the Wicked Wicked West!

It is that time of the year again as we pack the kids and hit the beach. While away I'll be attending this years EUROTRASH PARADISE WORLD CONVENTION 4(!!). A long hot few weeks at the beach with a sidetrack of all night trash marathons, beer and even a genuine convention this year should be just what the Awful Dr. Orlof ordered!

I wanted to leave something cool hanging (see above) as a "gone fishin'" sign, and it certainly popped up. Eurotrash Paradise charter member Neil Vokes has done up a series of sketches for various members of the ETP to go hand in hand with an upcoming discussion of THE WICKED WEST 2, the best Spaghetti Guns n' Horror comic in recent memory. Now YOU can own a similar package. The book is covered here on my blog (which includes a nice scan of THE PAGE!!) and is a must for anyone that loves Eurohorror and westerns. If you buy now from Neil you will also receive a personal sketch. Now, this isn't just a doodle folks, but a nice piece of artwork. The price for the book (which is 15.99 retail) and the art is $40.00 and interested buyers can contact Neil directly at ndv45@comcast.net. Here are some samples...Some truly iconic stuff here!

Be well and stay cool my friends...see you all for more Thriller stuff (yes, there is more), and lots of other fun swag upon my return.

LinkORama Revenge... you click...you get groovy!

So many clicks... so little time. Today's stuff of note:

Muchas Gracias, Senior Lobo is a collection of Paul Naschy posters and lobby cards that looks to be a must have for any fan of Eurohorror and Werewolvery. Haven't seen it myself just yet, but I was thrilled to see that Xploited Cinema is carrying it here. During our last ETP Worldcon the eagle eyed Bruce Holecheck spotted a lobby from Hunchback Of The Morgue that is not in the film, and it is included in this book. Primordial monster fans...take note!

YOR (my favorite Hunter From The Future and subject of THESE POSTS) can be YOR friend on MYSPACE now!! Check it out. I've got him in my top friends for sure. Ah...Yor Week. Such fond memories, hopefully a certain Mak Man will recall Yor from his dusty grave, but more on that in the future.

The Wicked West 2- Abomination and Other Tales has been released by Image Comics. Amazon has a wait on the title for direct market clearance it seems... but if you want a great price and want to see this book flow through the book store system you should pre-order now! Featuring a TON of top flight creators doing the wild west up proud... a must have book. If your local bookshop doesn't have it... request it loud and proud. Features work by Neil Vokes, Bob Tinnell, Michael Avon Oeming...oh and a ton more. If you like comics, you'll love this. And if you don't read comics but love horror with guts, brains and a totally cool setting-give this a try as well. Click here for some nifty Vokes Goodies from this project!

The Horror Blog posted this cool Day Of The Dead remake trailer... boy does that look about the level of House Of The Dead 2 or what?? No problem for me however, I like my zombie films cheap and silly sometimes.

The Groovy Age Of Horror has a great interview up with the Monster Island author, David Wellington, and some wild Zora covers to boot! Great!!!

Speaking of Monster Island... THE best spot on the web to get your horror books, SHOCKLINES.COM is currently doing a special that will send you some .pdf chapbooks with your Monster Island series purchases. Don't sleep on it!!

Though the page is annoyingly laid out (CLEAR??? ick.) I am pumped for the new Timo Rose film... BARRICADE. Check out the trailers and more!!

And what day would be complete without some groovy poster fun... DIG IT as my filmgeek adoration of ZOMBIE LAKE continues!!

How Groovy was 2011? Comics RULE!

I'm not someone that is good at "Best Of" lists at all.  I come across so many things each year that it feels like a mistake to even try to quantify the variety of media experiences against each other.  Instead, here are some of my favorite things that blipped my brain and mangled my mind.  2012 is going to have to step up and bring me some real treats to match this list next year.  First up...some comics memories of the year.



There were a lot of great comics that were released this year, though honestly I find myself looking at collections of older material much more often than the new.  First and foremost I was delighted to finally hold a copy of FLESH AND BLOOD by Robert Tinnell and Neil Vokes.  From personal experience I know these are two good men that love the work they do and have the utmost respect for the heritage of horror cinema and comics.  So, they took the mediums they have both continue to master and slammed them together like true Twins of Evil and concocted a book that works not just as a tribute to Hammer horrors, but continues the films as if they never stopped being produced.  To call it "the film that never was" is a nice thing, but I think this is actually the experience only these two artists could produce.  Pastiche is easy, but creating something familiar AND new out of well used elements takes a special touch.  Tinnell has the pacing down so well that he manages to actually improve upon it thanks to the free flowing sequential art by Vokes that bounces between sexy slurping and right into heavy duty monster battles.  Fans of Hammer will smile as they read, and I would bet that their own imaginations will start to engage as they superimpose their favorite Hammer music atop the story.  I know I was humming my own soundtrack as the line "FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED" finally made it's appearance. 

 Why tread old ground when you can forge new destinies for familiar faces?  Flesh and Blood does it with each page.  Buy this. If you like Hammer you'll love it, if you love horror films you'll be watching the naughtiest Creature Double Feature you never saw on a Saturday afternoon while all the other kids were outside playing baseball. 

Another really great comics release was the first STEVE DITKO OMNIBUS edition from DC.  This jumbo hardcover edition contains the important (to me) SHADE, THE CHANGING MAN in it's entirety (including the Cancelled Comics Cavalcade material), the weird and partially successful though totally interesting STALKER (with Wally Wood) and tons of interesting shorts from all around the DC universe.  From outer space to weird horror, this volume showcases Ditko doing lots of interesting things.  Volume 2 is going to contain Hawk And Dove, a team I have lots of love for.  The reproductions look amazing to me, and finally my copies of Shade don't smell horrid! 

Also awesome this year was a fantastic COMMANDER X-MAS Christmas that features Jay Piscopo's adventure hero in a variety of stories. It is FREE and deserves your attention.  Look for my main monster hero THE HEAP in a cameo as well.  Go HERE and enjoy it for the price of clicking your finger. Best deal ever.

While I love the Warren reprint hardcovers (which I was brought up to date with starting on Father's Day this year) I have to give very special notice to Dark Horse for their extraordinary series of Gold Key reprints.  I've been thrilling to Doctor Spektor and getting my Maciste on with The Mighty Samson, but I'm completely smitten by DAGAR THE INVINCIBLE (Tales of Sword and Sorcery) Volume 1.  With the typically awesome pulp tale telling of Donald Glut, whose name we just spotted on the credits of a Transformers episode, and stunning artwork by Jesse Santos, this is 1972 comics the way I LOVE THEM.  It's action and fantasy and fun in every page.  Santos is actually one of my favorite personal discoveries of the year. I wasn't familiar with his work by name, but I sure am now!  You can read a complete story from the series RIGHT HERE! 

And there was lots more, I'm enjoying THE INFINITE a lot.  Liefeld pouches galore, with an interesting time travel tale by Robert Kirkman has me heading to the shop to get each issue.  THE SPIDER has had a great year with Moonstone Publications including work by Pablo Marcos, Jay Piscopo, Hannibal King and expertly written by Martin Powell.  Transformers UK Classics Volume 1 could be one of my favorite collections in years.  Crossing the UK styled comics of the 80s with the characters I'm enjoying with my son is like having the experience of sharing 2000 ADs early years with a 6 year old boy. 

And then there is this.  When I can afford to get the project off the ground I hope you'll be reading a full length story full of Sleazy Shock, Sapphic Sensuality and Fantastically Trashy fun with The Hong Kong Hell Camp Women.  You can see a comic book trailer in the upcoming AKA book.

And even though it has been utterly demonized, I'm enjoying a few of the new DC books.  OMAC is a bashing and battling blast that isn't the original series, but does tip it's mohawk to Kirby with awesome art by Keith Giffen.  I'm also digging Demon Knights and even the new Suicide Squad book.  The characters look wonky to me (why change Deadshot??)-but I'm enjoying this one as a hard PG-13 level action book that seems happy to revel in big sized action sequences. 
There are tons more--but it's time to move on to the next category! 

Once More I'm On Cecilia! PLUS...VOKES in the ZOMBIE POOL!

Just one more little tidbit on Cecilia from Blue Underground to follow up. The Eurocine website lists the film here. They list the film as directed by Jess Franco-so perhaps this is where the composite versus original film listing began.

Now then, to continue the Eurocine Art Archive in a whole new direction...uber artist Neil Vokes of The Black Forest, Wicked West, Eagle, Spider-Man and Ninjak fame sat down to watch the always welcome ZOMBIE LAKE. While he was more than a tad underwhelmed he did a quick Christmas sketch for Bruce Holecheck. Bruce is now the proud owner of ZOMBIE POOL!

My Thanks... YOR Thanks!! Visions Of Yor

Thanksgiving! Always a favorite holiday, and so much to be thankful for. Kids? Check...amazing every minute of every day! Family? Wonderful-all ready for the Turkey Dinner. Blogging? Hey, I even had a real life person come and visit me at SuperMegaFest. Fantastic.
And friends? Oh yes... I'm thrilled to see everyone doing so well.
And of course...I have to give thanks for YOR-HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE. I have my copy ready for Turkey Day viewing. Can. Not. Wait.
But it doesn't stop there. I'm a lucky fella-I have several incredibly talented friends and not only do they tolerate my...well, eccentric nature-but they even inspire me with these visions of YOR.
Check 'em out and have a great Thanksgiving.

First we have Neil Vokes doing an amazing action pose in classic Reb Brown mode. I love this... it looks like a fantastic large panel that leads into an incredible two page splash of Yor beating down dinosaurs AND John Steiner's RoboFlunkies.


Oh man... I'm a big fan of Ade's work. This is a quick sketch that just POPS off the page with his distinct style. Tons of depth and Yor looks like he will stomp and stab you silly. If you are from the darkest past...BEWARE! If you think you are coming from the future to dominate Yor and his friends...RUN! This guy will kick your ass! Adrian Salmon presents...YOR-THE DOMINATOR!

And of course...the infamous YOR joke ad. I fell for it of course, because I just love YOR. Click it for the big version and don't you just NEED to see Neil take on a real Yorian tale? I sure would!

Halloween Horrors 3 -Caltiki The Immortal Monster

Caltiki is one of my favorite black and white monster films, and I'm happy to say that it works just as well in 2010 as it does in 1959.  While it is not the most unique monster film you'll ever see, given that we have 51 years of cinema between here and there, it has interesting characters, a groovy monster given life by MARIE FOAM (Mario Bava never had a better name, not even John Old beats this), outdated cultural bits about the proper behavior of men and women and a psycho performance from Gerard Herter as the chomped and evilly altered Max.

Quickly put, Caltiki is an ancient god monster that is discovered by a team of archeolgists by accident. Of course, there are signs that things are going to go sour here.  We have love quadrangles that include some really screwed up interpersonal politics, jealousy, jutting bosoms and square jaws and even better, a dopey member of the crew spies on a superb bit of native dancing.  All that nets our spy, who is warned that it is bad mojo to do so, is being derezzed by Caltiki in a rather shocking manner!  After scummy and lusting Max gets attacked by Caltiki our hero John (John Merivale) does the sensible thing. Bring the blob to his house (with his wife and child) and try to see if Gamma Rays do anything to it. In a Pre-Hulk world, I guess nobody would know what can happen!  Max goes nuts!  Stalking! Blobbish Devouring!! More Jutting Bosoms!! 

Directed by Ricardo Freda and with cinematography and effects (and some direction) by Mario Bava, this is an outstandingly presented chiller that manages to mix the subtle and spooky with the sudsy burbling blobboid frolics.  The underwater sequence that leads to the "skeleton in the suit" reveal still gets me sucked in faster than you can say Mexican Monster Devours Max (see image below) and I'm in awe of how much comic book frame perfection there is in some shots.  I'd love to see this adapted by Neil Vokes in inkwash someday, there are even a few Bobby T haircuts to use!  It's been said before, and I'll say it once more. CALTIKI is a rockin' blob that will delight any monster fan.  Get it. Love it!

Eurotrash Pinnacle Project - Bob Sargent...VIDEOOZEs his list!

The tops of Today are from Bob Sargent, the big brain behind one of the best fanzines of all time, Videooze! Without this magazine, no Thriller-A Cruel Picture for me... You can chat him up anytime at Eurotrash Paradise where he moderates the water cooler discussion and shares sleazy movies about midgets, babysitters and Ursula's Sister.
Yep, the man is a giant (well, literally) amongst fans...check out anything he has listed you haven't seen yet.
Also, note the artwork in the banner is by Comix legend and monster maniac Neil Vokes. I am pretty sure this piece appeared in Videooze. Who cares, it is AWESOME...

HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE (burning rats, hunchback sex, and the Primordial!!)

DIABOLICAL DR. Z (Unca Jess cameo, the penetration machine, and those poisoned fingernails!!)

BLOOD AND BLACK LACE (style to spare, Cameron Mitchell's best, and that faceless killer!!)

NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST (acrobatic werewolf, naked-sexy cannibal women, and that unbelievable torture-chamber flaying!!)

DEVIL'S NIGHTMARE (creepy Gothic castle, 7 Deadly Sins in-jokes, and Erika Blanc's exposed bellybutton looking like a target!!)

LADY FRANKENSTEIN (stripey-pants monster, gratuitious Joseph Cotton, and Rosalba Neri's erect nipples!!)

TENEBRAE ("filthy perverts," John Steiner acting crazy, and a picturesque death at the end!!)

KING OF KONG ISLAND (radio-mind-controlled gorillas, a mad lab in the jungle, and Brad Harris dancing like the whitest white man on the planet!!)

TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM (evil Chris Lee with a perforated face, the gay highwaymen, and the Forest of Hanging Corpses!!)

FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN ("fack deth in ze gall bladdah," gratuitous Udo Keir, and a nude Dalila Di Lazarro!!)

It is good to be...David Z

A wee break as I gear up for more explicit fun with Thriller, Breaking Point and The Darkness (the game, not the band)... but I have to pause and thank some folks.
I've been a proud participant over the last year of the Horror Roundtable at The Horror Blog (which just rocks...the end!). The last few weeks have been shaky with the arrival of our new daughter Isabella and my newfound dedication to enjoying writing for EAGLE LIVES, a website devoted to Neil Vokes' kung fu n' SF action comic. But Steven is ALWAYS patient and gets me in there when I waver-which is always appreciated. Last Friday the usual pang of guilt hit me in the noggin' and I kept popping over to see what I failed to turn in. And found...this!
The Horror Roundtable and David Z

Wild and much appreciated... thanks to all you fellas.


But there is more. A "Thinking Blogger Award" showed up in my mailbox as well, thanks to Jeremy at Moon In The Gutter! Now, I'm of the opinion that this is a just part of my obsessive compulsive hobby as a trash culture fan-but it really makes me happy in a way I can't describe to think that people actually read and try out some of the things I find. And I'm thankful for each and every one that reads. Heck, even if you don't agree with my biased assessments (my enthusiasm does get the better of my critical senses by the way)-I try to share as much information as possible. I'll be back in the swing of Tomb It May Concern shortly, I've found a lot more Thriller stuff (some stuff appeared on a CD burned in 2001 that my wife stumbled on yesterday) and I'll finish up the Breaking Point post with a cast list and more facts n' fun about this crazed action/horror/porn/swedesploitation classick.

But the best part of the concept of Thinking Blogger Awards is that we get to share MORE sites that we love-and there is no shortage of that on the web for me. Here are 5 that I enjoy every day. So here we go...or better yet, here YOU go! But first, the rules for The Thinking Blogger Award!

Anyway, here are the original rules for the award:

1. If, and only if your blog is one that is tagged on my list below, you must write a post with links to five other blogs you like that consistently make you think (hence, the Thinking Blogger’s Award).

2. Link to this post so people will know whose good idea all this was. (see above)

3. Proudly display the “Thinking Blogger Award” logo with a link to the post you wrote.

Can do, these are not numbered or in any order-I love 'em all.

-The TRASH CINEMA Review is a wonderful and heartfelt look at odd films of the type I enjoy the most. EuroAction, Bruno Mattei, a wild top 100 and a KILL FILM CRITICS attitude make this blog a fun read. Besides, anyone that reviews Strike Commando 2 and Snapdragon (with Pamela Anderson) is good people in the book of David Z.

-The Groovy Age Of Horror is a true web phenom. Curt Purcell brings paperback scholarship to a new level. I've hunted down a lot of the books he features, and my free time would be less satisfying without this site. Truly a blog that is both passionate and willing to go beyond the covers of the best and worst of the written word. Never dull...always essential. If you aren't reading this (or say to yourself that you don't have time to read books anymore)-you HAVE to poke around Curt's dominion of domination.

-Yakuza Eiga...now here is a genre I don't know nearly enough about-and this nifty site has tons of good information and images. The poster pages are jaw dropping and the reviews are both honest and enthusiastic for the genre. Check it out!

-Bruno Mattei On Myspace! This counts as a blog because it is updated frequently and is an obvious labor of love. More Mattei than any other site I've encountered, this is the number 1 place I go in the endless sucking pit of Myspace. Hey, it has a blog attached no less! It makes me think about how much I love trashy European films...and Bruno Mattei!

-GamePolitics is a great read and covers some serious issues with a dose of humor. As a fairly hardcore gamer I find myself checking this page every day.

There are tons of other blogs I frequent of course, many of which are already tagged with this award...but my day would not be complete without a trip to Cinebeats, Bookgasm and damn near any other blog in my sidebar. Check them out!!

See you soon with more BREAKING POINT!

Favorite European Trash Cinema Images - Irina Karnstein

There are some images in European Trash Cinema that inspire me, and Lina Romay emerging from the mist at the beginning of Female Vampire (or the better title of The Bare Breasted Countess) is one. Below are some cool interpretations of Countess Irina by two talented gents. Ade Salmon posted on HIS BLOG about the return of the super cool Terry Sharp and I could never forget his awesome confrontation with Lina! Below are the color version, as well as the original artwork from my collection (yes indeed, I'm a lucky guy!)




And here is a little sketch that Neil Vokes (check HIS blog here) tossed in a Christmas package one year. He was inspired by Lina in the series Love Bites, which really should be in print Eros, but I love this little card.


What really makes me smile is that both artists nail the belt and the lack of pants-Ade's angular design is awesome, because the original scene is foggy enough one might think that Irina subscribes to walking around in bottoms in the full version of The Bare Breasted Countess. She does not.
Ah, the early 70s ruled in pelvic unruliness.

So, here is to Lina Romay, Countess Irina Karnstein and one of the many great images of European Trash Cinema!

Thank you Jess!!


Fah, this scene is all wrong in the clothed variant!! Just say no.