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Monday, May 31, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Zaroff' by Sylvain Runberg & François Miville-Deschênes

'Zaroff', written by Sylvain Runberg and illustrated by François Miville-Deschênes, is billed as an unofficial sequel to Richard Connell's 1924 short story, 'The Most Dangerous Game', (which was later adapted into the 1932 RKO Pictures film of the same name, starring Joel McCrea and Leslie Banks), that features a big-game hunter from New York City who falls off a yacht and swims to what seems to be an abandoned and isolated island in the Caribbean, where he is hunted by a Russian aristocrat.
 
Although it follows on from the original, 'Zaroff' is still a standalone story, so like myself, there is no need to have any knowledge of the original material.
 
The story picks up 8 years later with Sanger Rainsford, the big game hunter from the original story, having survived his encounter with Zaroff, and now in New York addressing the media of his experience. The media is generally unbelieving of his tale, except for a mysterious woman listening with intent in the gathered crowd.
 
General Zaroff, having escaped the original island, now lives on a remote island off the coast of Venezuela. A new hunting ground where he can continue his deranged hobby of hunting people that become stranded on his island. But ever the sportsman, he does give his quarry a 'sporting' chance, however, by equipping them with weaponary and if they can escape his clutches for three days, they are free to leave. But when one of the General's victims is a Boston mob boss, his daughter and a group of mobster heavies arrive on the island looking for revenge. But there is more at stake than just the General's life.
 
This was a thrilling read. Runberg has crafted an exciting story that turns the evil villain of the original story into the protagonist. He's still a cold and calculating character, but with the tables turned, you kind of root for him to pull through the hunt. It is helped with the way Fiona Flanagan and the mobsters are portrayed in the story, who are definitely playing up to their antagonistic roles. 

The story starts off strong, hinting at what had gone before and laying the seeds for what's to come, with some good exposition. There isn't much plot to it, as when you boil it down, 'Zaroff' is just a cat-and-mouse chase / hunter-becoming-hunted story, but it's written in such a way that even with the lack of substance, you are still engrossed in the story and the pace of the storytelling is just unwavering, as you get swept up into the chase, and never really runs out of steam as you turn the last page!
 
The artwork by Miville-Deschênes is simply stunning. As always! As such, it suited the story very well and was easy to get absorbed in the life-like details in the comic panels that bring out the vividness, and lushness of the jungle, as well as the brutal and horrific. It's got to the point that any graphic novel with artwork by François Miville-Deschênes is to savoured!

'Zaroff' is a thrilling read with beautifully rendered artwork, that once the chase begins, is unrelenting and full of suspense, tension and horror! A must read!

Available at:
and other comic and book stores.

 

Shortlist For The 2021 NOMMO Awards Announced by the ASFS

The shortlist for the 2021 NOMMO Awards have been announced by the ASFS (African Speculative Fiction Society), an organization of African writers, artists, editors, and publishers in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and related genres.

The NOMMO Awards recognize works of speculative fiction by Africans, defined as "Science Fiction and Fantasy, and the broadest possible definition of speculative/fantastical fiction including horror, slipstream, interstitial, stories based on traditional beliefs, alternate history etc. An inclusive rather than exclusive term designed to include most especially any distinctively African forms that may develop."

The awards take their name from Dogon cosmology, and the ancestral spirits / deities who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.

Best Novel (The Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African)

  • 'The Death of Vivek Oji', Akwaeke Emezi, (Riverhead Books)
  • 'Club Ded', Nikhil Singh, (Luna Press)
  • 'Soul Searching', Stephen Embleton, (Guardbridge Books)

Best Novella

  • 'Guardians: The Awakening', David A Atta, (Makere Books)
  • 'A Fledgling Abiba', Dilman Dila, (Guardbridge Books)
  • 'Ife-Iyoku: The Tale of Imadeyunuagbon', Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, (Dominion, Aurelia Leo)
  • 'The Silence of the Wilting Skin', Tlotlo Tsamaase, (Pink Narcissus Press)
  • 'Riot Baby', Tochi Onyebuchi, (Tor)

Best Short Story

  • 'Rat And Finch Are Friends', Innocent Chizaram Ilo, (Strange Horizons)
  • 'Corialis', TL Huchu, (Fiyah)
  • 'The Bend Of Water', Tiah Marie Beautement, (Omenana)
  • 'Behind Our Irises', Tlotlo Tsamaase, (Africanfuturism Anthology published by Brittle Paper)
  • 'The Goatkeeper's Harvest', Tobi Ogundiran, (The Dark)

Best Graphic Novel

  • 'Alex', Anna Mbale (writer) and Mwiche Songolo (artist), (Black Hut Comics)
  • 'Black Sheep', Mwiche Songolo (writer & artist), (Black Hut Comics)
  • 'Meanwhile . . .', Qinto Collab (various writers & artists), (MaThoko's Books / GALA Queer Archive)
  •  'Moongirls', Nana Akosua Hanson (writer) AnimaxFYB Studios (art), (Drama Queens Collective)
  • 'New Men', Murewa Ayodele (writer) and Dotun Akande (artist), (Action Lab, Danger Zone)
  • 'Titan', Mazuba Chimbeza (writer and artist), (Black Hut Comics)

#CoolArt: 'The Dark Crystal' print by Guy Stauber

'Age Of Wonder' by Guy Stauber.

18" x 24" Digital pigment print on 230 gsm matte laminate art paper, in a signed and numbered limited editon of 25 for £45.

On sale now through Guy's website.

'Monsters Inc' & 'A Bug's Life' 4K Blurays Exclusively through Zavvi

'Monsters Inc' & 'A Bug's Life' 4K blurays.

On sale for pre-order for £19.99 on Monday May 31 at 6pm UK through Zavvi - (Monsters Inc & A Bug's Life).

Also check out Zavvi's selection of Steelbook clearance titles, their 2 or £30 4K Ultra HD Offer.

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Artist Spotlight: The Art Of . . . Lisa Buijteweg (Zolaida)

Showcasing art from some of my favourite artists, and those that have attracted my attention, in the field of visual arts, including vintage; pulp; pop culture; books and comics; concert posters; fantastical and imaginative realism; classical; contemporary; new contemporary; pop surrealism; conceptual and illustration.

 

#ArtOfTheDay: 'A Beautiful Accident' by Tommy Arnold

'A Beautiful Accident' by Tommy Arnold.

Cover art for the novelette 'A Beautiful Accident', written by Peter Orullian, published 2015 by Tor Publishing

Saturday, May 29, 2021

#CoolArt: 'Jurassic Park' print by Nos4a2 Design through Zavvi

'Clever Girl' by Nos4a2 Design.

Officially licensed 36" x 12" screen print on 300gsm cotton acid-free archival paper, in a signed and numbered limited edition of 200 for £49.99.

On sale now through Zavvi Gallery.

'Dune 1984' 4K Bluray Steelbook through Zavvi

'Dune' 4K bluray, in Deluxe 4K Steelbook, Standard 4K Steelbook, and Limited 4K Editions.

Deluxe 4K Steelbook Edition (£44.99) includes:

  • Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative
  • 60-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing on the film by Andrew Nette, Christian McCrea and Charlie Brigden, an American Cinematographer interview with sound designer Alan Splet from 1984, excerpts from an interview with the director from Chris Rodley’s book Lynch on Lynch and a Dune Terminology glossary from the original release
  • 100-page perfect-bound book featuring original pre-production concepts and designs by Anthony Masters and Ron Miller, and an interview with Masters from the film’s press kit
  • Large fold-out double-sided poster featuring original theatrical poster artwork
  • Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
  • Limited edition SteelBook housed in Deluxe rigid packaging, both with original theatrical artwork


Standard 4K Steelbook Edition (£29.99) includes:

  • Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative
  • Limited edition SteelBook packaging featuring original theatrical artwork
  • Double-sided foldout poster with two choices of original theatrical artwork

Limited 4K Edition (£24.99) includes:

  • Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative
  • 60-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing on the film by Andrew Nette, Christian McCrea and Charlie Brigden, an American Cinematographer interview with sound designer Alan Splet from 1984, excerpts from an interview with the director from Chris Rodley’s book Lynch on Lynch and a Dune Terminology glossary from the original release
  • Large fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dániel Taylor
  • Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
  • Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dániel Taylor

Reversible Sleeve by Dániel Taylor
Reversible sleeve with original artwork

DISCS ONE & TWO - FEATURE & EXTRAS (BLU-RAY + 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)

  • 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) and High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
  • Original uncompressed stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
  • Brand new audio commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon
  • Brand new audio commentary by Mike White of The Projection Booth podcast
  • Impressions of Dune, a 2003 documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with star Kyle MacLachlan, producer Raffaella de Laurentiis, cinematographer Freddie Francis, editor Antony Gibbs and many others
  • Designing Dune, a 2005 featurette looking back at the work of production designer Anthony Masters
  • Dune FX, a 2005 featurette exploring the special effects in the film
  • Dune Models & Miniatures, a 2005 featurette focusing on the model effects in the film
  • Dune Costumes, a 2005 featurette looking at the elaborate costume designs seen in the film
  • Thirteen deleted scenes from the film, with a 2005 introduction by Raffaella de Laurentiis
  • Destination Dune, a 1983 featurette originally produced to promote the film at conventions and publicity events
  • Theatrical trailers and TV spots
  • Extensive image galleries, including hundreds of still photos

DISC THREE – BONUS DISC (BLU-RAY)

  • The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune, a brand new feature-length documentary by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures exploring the making of the film, featuring dozens of new and archive interviews with cast and crew
  • Beyond Imagination: Merchandising Dune, a brand new featurette exploring the merchandise created to promote the film, featuring toy collector/producer Brian Sillman (The Toys That Made Us)
  • Prophecy Fulfilled: Scoring Dune, a brand new featurette on the film’s music score, featuring interviews with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro, and film music historian Tim Greiving
  • Brand new interview with make-up effects artist Giannetto de Rossi, filmed in 2020
  • Archive interview with production coordinator Golda Offenheim, filmed in 2003
  • Archive interview with star Paul Smith, filmed in 2008
  • Archive interview with make-up effects artist Christopher Tucker

*** EXTRAS STILL IN PRODUCTION AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***

On sale for pre-order now through Zavvi. (Release date August 30 2021)

Also check out Zavvi's selection of Steelbook clearance titles, their 2 or £30 4K Ultra HD Offer.

Artist Spotlight: The Art Of . . . Lioba Brückner

Showcasing art from some of my favourite artists, and those that have attracted my attention, in the field of visual arts, including vintage; pulp; pop culture; books and comics; concert posters; fantastical and imaginative realism; classical; contemporary; new contemporary; pop surrealism; conceptual and illustration.

The art of Lioba Brückner.
 

#ArtOfTheDay: 'Trial Of The Wizard King' by Micah Epstein

'Trial Of The Wizard King' by Micah Epstein.

Cover art for 'Trial Of The Wizard King', book 2 of 'The Wizard King Trilogy' written by Chad Corrie.

Friday, May 28, 2021

#CoolArt: 'The Deer Hunter' prints by Krzysztof Domaradzki & Grzegorz Domaradzki through Nautilus Art Prints

'The Deer Hunter' by Krzysztof Domaradzki & Grzegorz Domaradzki.

Officially licensed 24" x 36" 8 colour screen print in a numbered Regular edition of 250 for €50, and a numbered Variant edition of 125 for €70.

On sale Friday May 28 at 7pm CET (European Time) (1pm ET) through Nautilus Art Prints.

Regular Edition
Variant Edition

#CoolArt: 'The Incredible Hulk' print by Ryan Brown through Sideshow Collectibles

'The Incredible Hulk' by Ryan Brown.

Officially licensed giclee print, in a signed limited edition of 375 in a framed edition for $270, and an unframed edition for $95.

On sale for pre-order Friday May 28 between 9am-12pm PT through Sideshow Collectibles.

#CoolArt: 'Batman & Robin: The Dark Knight Returns' print by Felipe Massafera through Sideshow Collectibles

'Batman & Robin: The Dark Knight Returns' by Felipe Massafera.

Officially licensed giclee print, in a signed limited edition of 350 in a framed edition for $270, and an unframed edition for $95.

On sale for pre-order Friday May 28 between 9am-12pm PT through Sideshow Collectibles.

#CoolArt: 'The Gala' print by jb0xtchi through The People's Print Shop

'The Gala' by jb0xtchi.

16" x 16" archival pigment print in a signed and numbered limited edition of 50 for $90.

On sale now through The People's Print Shop.

#CoolArt: 'Daydreamer' print by Kelsey Beckett through Spoke Art

'Daydreamer' by Kelsey Beckett.

20" x 16" archival pigment print, in a signed and numbered limited edition of 50 for $65.

On sale now through Spoke Art.

#ArtOfTheDay: 'Flying Reptiles' by Frank Frazetta

'Flying Reptiles' by Frank Frazetta.

Cover art for the 1972 edition of the novel 'Pellucidar', book 2 of the 'Pellucidar' series written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, published by Ace Books.

Thursday, May 27, 2021

#CoolArt: 'Katamari Damacy' prints by We Buy Your Kids and Landland through Mondo

'Katamari Damacy' by We Buy Your Kids and Landland.

  • 'Katamari Damacy' by We Buy Your Kids. 18" x 24" screen print, in a numbered limited edition of 200 for $50.
  • 'Katamari Damacy' by Landland. 18" x 24" screen print, in a numbered limited edition of 225 for $50.

On sale Thursday May 27 at 11am CT through Mondo.

by We Buy Your Kids
by Landland

#CoolArt: 'The Lord Of The Rings' Print Showcase by Ann Bembi through Bottleneck Gallery

'The Lord Of The Rings' by Ann Bembi.

Officially licensed 16" x 24" giclee prints, in a numbered Regular editions of 100 for $40 each, and numbered Foil Variant editions of 50 for $50 each.

On sale Thursday May 27 at 12pm ET through Bottleneck Gallery.

#CoolArt: 'Universal Monsters: Headshots - Series 1' prints by Matt Ferguson through Vice Press

'Universal Monsters: Headshots - Series 1' by Matt Ferguson.

5" x 5" archival pigment prints on 270gsm Mohawk Eggshell Superfine Ultrawhite paper, in open editions for £6.99 each, or £26.99 for the 4 print set.

On sale Thursday May 27 at 6pm UK through Vice Press.

#CoolArt: 'Universal Monsters' prints by Carly A-F through Vice Press

'Universal Monsters' by Carly A-F.

A3 sized (11.7" x 16.5") archival pigment prints on 270gsm Mohawk Eggshell Superfine Ultrawhite paper, in open editions for £15.99 each, or £75.99 for the 5 print set.

On sale Thursday May 27 at 6pm UK through Vice Press.

'Dracula'

#CoolArt: AP Edition prints by Malleus

AP Edition prints by Malleus.

  • 'Firefly'. 50cm x 70cm 5 colour screen print with metallic inks on black canvas paper, in a limited edition of 46 for €50.

  • 'Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons at Salt Lake City'. 50cm x 70cm 5 colour screen print with metallic inks on black paper, in a limited edition of 130 for €40.

On sale now from the Malleus website.

'Firefly'
'Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons at Salt Lake City'

#CoolArt: 'Mad World II' print by Josh Keyes through Thinkspace Projects

'Mad World II' by Josh Keyes.

22" x 22" fine art print on Signa Smooth 300gsm paper, in a signed and numbered limited edition of 75 for $175.

On sale Friday May 28 at 10am PT through Thinkspace Projects.

#ArtOfTheDay: 'Avacyn' by Josh Hass

'Avacyn' by Josh Hass.

Variant cover for 'Magic' issue #1, published April 2021 by BOOM! Studios.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

#NewComicBookDay: My Comics Pull List This Week

My comics Pull List this week.

  • 'Monstress' #34 (Image Comics)
  • 'Star Wars: Doctor Aphra' #10 (Marvel Comics)
  • 'Ascender' #15 (Image Comics)
  • 'Red Sonja' #27 (Dynamite Comics)
'Monstress' #34 (Image Comics)
Cover art by Sana Takeda
'Star Wars: Doctor Aphra' #10 (Marvel Comics)
Cover art by Joshua 'Sway' Swaby
'Ascender' #15 (Image Comics)
Cover art by Dustin Nguyen
'Red Sonja' #27 (Dynamite Comics)
Cover art by Jae Lee & June Chung

#CoolArt: 'Wandering Luminations' print by Tara McPherson through The Cotton Candy Machine

'Wandering Luminations' by Tara McPherson.

17" x 22" archival pigment fine art print on Legacy Etching Cotton Fibre 20 mil / 314 gsm paper, in a signed and numbered limited edition of 200 for $80.

On sale now through The Cotton Candy Machine.

#CoolArt: 'Midnight' TIMED Release print by Vanessa Foley through Black Dragon Press

'Midnight' by Vanessa Foley.

50cm x 50cm giclée print on 308 gsm Hahnemühle 100% Cotton Photo Rag paper, in a signed and numbered TIMED Release edition for £120, and a 40cm x 40cm signed and numbered Framed (in AR70 art glass by The Circular Framing Company) TIMED Release edition for £270.

On sale for 72 hours from Wednesday May 26 at 5pm UK through Black Dragon Press.

'Field Of Dreams' 4K Bluray Steelbook through Zavvi

'Field Of Dreams' 4K bluray steelbook.

On sale for pre-order Wednesday May 26 at 12pm UK through Zavvi.

Also check out Zavvi's selection of Steelbook clearance titles, their 2 or £30 4K Ultra HD Offer.