|
Post by dem bones on Jan 10, 2012 13:03:39 GMT
just time to post the details - 'review' to follow when i've digested what these 88 pages have to offer. Sweet Jesus, but what a feast for eyes and mind! Justin Marriott (ed.) Paperback Fanatic # 21 (January 2012) Contents:
Fanatical Thoughts
Fanatical Mail: letters from Bam!!!, Colin Clyne, Andreas Decker, Holger Hasse, Mark Savage, Mike Chivers, Steve Lines, Stephen Sennitt, Stuart Williams, Gary Dobbs, Andy Boot, Kev Demant, Nigel Taylor
Justiin Marriott - Bounding From the Thirties! The Corinth regency reprints of The Phantom Detective and Dr Death, plus Corinth Checklist.
Rob Matthews - Gold Medal's Golden Age. Part 1 of a definitive A-Z
Andreas Decker - 50 years of Rhodan- a celebration of pulp astronaut Perry Rhodan's 50th birthday
Andrew Myers - TNT "the overlooked and demented men's adventure series"
James Doig - Frank Bernier: A Forgotten Australian Paperback Artist.
Abraham Merritt cover gallery- examples from around the world
Paperback Dungeon: Johnny Mains on John Burke (1922-2011) Review of Hip Pocket Sleaze Graham Andrews - Fit To Be Tied (new column devoted to film novelisations) John Kenney - Glorious Trash (regular column)For further details, orders, etc, visit Fanatic HQ - and do it soon!
|
|
|
Post by noose on Jan 10, 2012 13:14:18 GMT
Dem, slight error there with John's d.o.d.
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Jan 10, 2012 13:22:11 GMT
damn, i killed him before he was even born! anyway - no more interruptions, some of us are trying to read.
|
|
|
Post by Craig Herbertson on Jan 10, 2012 17:29:29 GMT
just time to post the details - 'review' to follow when i've digested what these 88 pages have to offer. Sweet Jesus, but what a feast for eyes and mind! Justin Marriott (ed.) Paperback Fanatic # 21 (January 2012) Contents:
Fanatical Thoughts
Fanatical Mail: letters from Bam!!!, Colin Clyne, Andreas Decker, Holger Hasse, Mark Savage, Mike Chivers, Steve Lines, Stephen Sennitt, Stuart Williams, Gary Dobbs, Andy Boot, Kev Demant, Nigel Taylor
Justiin Marriott - Bounding From the Thirties! The Corinth regency reprints of The Phantom Detective and Dr Death, plus Corinth Checklist.
Rob Matthews - Gold Medal's Golden Age. Part 1 of a definitive A-Z
Andreas Decker - 50 years of Rhodan- a celebration of pulp astronaut Perry Rhodan's 50th birthday
Andrew Myers - TNT "the overlooked and demented men's adventure series"
James Doig - Frank Bernier: A Forgotten Australian Paperback Artist.
Abraham Merritt cover gallery- examples from around the world
Paperback Dungeon: Johnny Mains on John Burke (1922-2011) Review of Hip Pocket Sleaze Graham Andrews - Fit To Be Tied (new column devoted to film novelisations) John Kenney - Glorious Trash (regular column)For further details, orders, etc, visit Fanatic HQ - and do it soon! Looks tremendous. Really tremendous.
|
|
|
Post by jamesdoig on Jan 13, 2012 7:12:22 GMT
Had to drive to Sydney today, and when I got home this was waiting for me - super quick time! Without having read it yet, my favourite article is instantly the Corinth paperback pulps. On the drive home I was forced to drop into Berkelouw's book barn (and it IS an enormous barn), and picked up the following for $3 each: Also picked up the Farrer & Rinehart edition of Sleep No More for $16.50, but it's not worth posting as it lacks the dust jacket. Great Lee Brown Coye illos though.
|
|
|
Post by Hip Pocket Sleaze on Jan 14, 2012 12:46:45 GMT
Thanks for the nice in-depth review of my book HIP POCKET SLEAZE that appeared in the new issue....much appreciated.
Regarding the review - yes, it would have been nice if I could have updated the book somewhat before it went to press, unfortunately time didn't allow it. After waiting so long for the book to finally appear, in the end all I really had time for was a quick proofread and corrections of some dates, etc. I was afraid if I got too stuck into updating the book it might have delayed its appearance even more, and I also feared that once I started doing a few minor rewrites it would snowball into a major revision, which would delay it's publication yet again.
Still, I am very happy and proud of the way the book has turned out and it seems to be doing quite well. Now that Headpress seem to be back into full-swing I hope that a follow-up volume might appear sooner rather than later....
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Jan 16, 2012 12:45:49 GMT
All finished now and to cut to the chase i'd place PF 21 alongside the mighty Fanthorpe-Campbell-Decker enhanced number 18 as my favourite Fanatic since the magazine adopted a digest format. There's not been a single issue to date where I didn't come away with a whole bunch of new paperbacks, authors, artists and publishers to investigate, and the wants list that knows no shame is now bloated beyond all semblance of sanity. Rob Matthews' ongoing A-Z looks to these eyes like a book in the making ( The Who's Who Of Gold Medal Crime ?). We're only up to the letter 'C' but it's already clear a considerable amount of time, effort and research has gone into it. Also delighted to see the fabulously gifted Frank Bernier featured in these pages and equally pleased that it should be James Doig to introduce him. This is my pick of the galleries in 21 which is saying quite a bit when you consider it includes the Corinths, all those Gold Medals and the A. Merrit showcase. The Corinth Regency Suspense article and checklist make for a neat start. I was inordinately pleased that the shudder pulps receive a nod in the final paragraphs as Horror Stories, Terror Tales & Co. have long been a personal obsession. Some of Robert Bonfils' lurid artwork for these paperbacks reissues - notably the Blood Reign Of The Dictator cover - captures the weird sadism & misogyny that was so much a stock in trade of the Red Circle originals. Andreas on Perry Rhodan - who, i'm ashamed to say, is an entirely new name on me - is typically well thought and executed. For some reason I kept thinking a German equivalent of the Badger books but i'm not sure that's entirely accurate or fair to either party! Biggest surprise, and strong contender for best (i.e, personal favourite) single article in the issue is Andrew Byers' blow-by-blow account of the seven translated T.N.T. adventures. I've never seen, hadn't even heard of these books before so left the piece to last and was hooked from the first sentence. Man, how have I lived this long and entirely missed out on TNT's debut? I feel absolutely deprived. I think the new Paperback Dungeon dept - " a magazine within a magazine" - is a great way of making use of the additional space to the full. Now, once you've digested the meatier articles, there's still the regular columns, occasional reviews and miscellaneous items to look forward to. Very well done to you Mr. Marriott, and to all the contributors.
|
|
|
Post by pulphack on Jan 17, 2012 7:24:07 GMT
To say that I prefered this issue to the last is probably a reflection on my own tastes rather than the relative merits of each issue. Having said that, there were distinct areas that can be pointed to: the magazine-within-a-magazine format really delineates the main features from the letters and the new columns.
It was interesting to see that the vocal sections of the readership are less sleaze-fond than say the US collectors and readers, who seem to collect this area more heavily. How the survey balances that out will be interesting.
Regarding the colour galleries: while one of the last issue highlights was the sleaze covers with and then without the lettering, it was noticeable how much editorial space this took up when compared to this issues content. I prefer more text to go with the covers, but again that's just me, I think.
The new columnists are great, and johnny's obit on john burke was heartfelt. This touch of regular continuity will help the magazine grow, I think.
The features themselves were also of high quality. Nice to see James Doig with informative and fascinating piece on an Australian artist who seems prolific but relatively unknown for his bok and cartoon work outside that continent. Given how the government trade restrictions helped create a hermetic and unique pulp market, I hope James will write more on the continent's writers. TNT: where do you begin. More barmy euro-pulp, the like of which the last existing series of that type could learn from. It would be nice to see The Executioner get a little less paramilitary and a bit more mad scientist, but sadly I don't think that's going to happen. Most of those series are a bit of a disappointment when you finally read them, but I doubt this would be. I suppose the French have form for it (Fantomas, etc).
Rob Matthews Gold Medal A-Z is a splendid piece of research and collation, and hopefully will stretch on for however long it takes. GM were incredibly important in retrospect. In terms of crime fiction they were an outlet for many new writers who would otherwise have struggled to get onto hardback lists that were restricted by budget.Similarly, for all genres they showed that you didn't need the validation, prior reviews and word of mouth of a hardback issue to get an audience. As a publisher with a lot of inventory, they could also afford to experiment a little more with new angles on the genre, and so were invaluable for writers whose unique takes on crime and action might otherwise have struggled to find a home. It's hard to imagine Hamilton, Aarons and Block being able to twist their genres like they did for GM in some other paperback houses.
As an aside, the first police procedural - a form that became a hardcore staple of the genre - is an interesting problem. I've always opted for John Creasey's Gideon series in the UK, which started in '55 and was certainly the first to have more than one case interwoven in a book. I wonder if there were any non-English language writers who beat the Brits and the Yanks?
Perry Rhodan - fondly remembered from the 70's and those Brit reprints, I was aware of what a phenomenon it was having struggled through the websites with a combination of bad German learned from krautrock albums and equally poor Google translator. An amazing feat of writing and editing, and a very well run industry, even now. A few years back, along with a German friend who wanted to act as co-writer/translator, we approached and discused this prospect with the editorial team, and it was eye-opening to see the scale of operation. A great piece of research and writing from Mr D, and some great covers. And this coming from someone who isn't a great sci-fi fan... Any chance that Andy may consider something on G-Man Jerry Cotton, another shadowy (to the English speaking world) and long running pulp figure?
All in all, it has to be said that the quality of research and writing remains high, and the desire to tweak and improve the format keeps everything fresh.
Damn, and not a single 'fuckin' A dude, awesome, top bloke' in there. Sorry, Justin...
|
|
|
Post by noose on Jan 17, 2012 10:21:51 GMT
I have to echo the sentiments of Kev and Andy - PF 21 is a glorious issue - and it's been one of the first issues where I only recognised less than ten covers, so there's EVEN MORE that's went on the wants list!
Favourites of PF21 is the Gold Medal article and the sublime Frank Benier piece - I have a copy of James Workman's SHOCK STORIES so it's good to see other examples of his work and finally put a name to the artist.
The layout of the magazine works really well and all in all the PF remains the only magazine I read from cover to cover.
Oh a question - I have a couple of NEL books by Derry Moffatt (mainly did the Disney tie-ins) - was this another pen name for James Moffatt? I can't really see the author of Skinhead writing PINNOCHIO, but stranger things have happened!
|
|
|
Post by pulphack on Jan 17, 2012 11:01:19 GMT
Derry was Jim's missus. I think rather than another psuedonym she may have actually written these herself, as I believe she had done some professional work in her time before marrying Jim.
Hard to think of Moffat having a missus, really...
|
|
|
Post by noose on Jan 17, 2012 11:07:38 GMT
Another piece of the puzzle solved! Cheers Andy!
Disney films adapted by Derry Moffat and published by NEL:
Robinson Crusoe Treasure Island Cinderella Dumbo Robin Hood Aristocats Treasure of Matecumbe Sword in the Stone Lady and the Tramp Pinocchio
oh, and for those on Twitter - I've started up a New English Library account that is pure cover scans of any and every NEL book I happen to pick up - follow @nel_foursquare
|
|
|
Post by severance on Jan 17, 2012 11:41:51 GMT
Thanks for the kind words gentleman re my GM article - bloody hell. it took a load of research, and I'm only at C but thoughts like yours are just the encouragement needed to continue the long slog. As far as the rest of the mag was concerned - it's always a joy to read, even subjects you've never encountered before. Long may it continue...
|
|
|
Post by jamesdoig on Jan 17, 2012 20:02:25 GMT
Given how the government trade restrictions helped create a hermetic and unique pulp market, I hope James will write more on the continent's writers. Thanks for the kind words all - certainly Benier deserves the exposure. Justin's got me looking into the John Slater Nazi-and-Japanese-sadistic-brutality-against-beautiful-woman series for a future issue.
|
|
|
Post by andydecker on Jan 22, 2012 16:53:10 GMT
Loved the issue.
Highlight for me is Rob Matthews A-Z to Gold Medal. GM is quoted so often, you read a bit here and a bit there, mostly in crime fiction blogs, still there is not too much information avaiable. One would have thought that it had merited a nice paperback or two. History of ...
So this is more then welcome. Espescially loved the covers. 1st editions, yay. I just bought an Aarons and an Atlee - later editions of course -, and it it nice to compare.
So I am really looking forward for the next parts.
I really have to read my TNTs. They all collect dust on the shelves.
Count me in for the side which finds "Sleaze" interesting. Not the books themselves, which are pretty much unreadable today IMHO, but I find it a fascinating topic. To imagine that guys like Kemp really went to jail because of this nonsense puts some current debates into perspective. And every time I read a writer praising his Ebook-coverart which are all godawful crap I have to think of the artists who worked their fingers off even for the smut. And vanished into obscurity. They sold the product, not the lukewarm content.
Production values were great as always. I really don´t know how Justin manages this time and again.
And thanks for all the kind words about the Rhodan stuff and the ideas. Glad you liked it!
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Mar 27, 2012 8:01:58 GMT
Derry was Jim's missus. I think rather than another psuedonym she may have actually written these herself, as I believe she had done some professional work in her time before marrying Jim. Hard to think of Moffat having a missus, really... Sarah has just posted a typically informative review of 'Derina Ridley's Will-O'-The-Wisp (NEL, July 1974) on the consistently wonderful My Love Haunted Heart, and luckily, hers is a signed copy ....
|
|