Just Two More Weeks

Christ, I need this. My Moron Tolerance Meter is off the scale. October 14th can't get here soon enough.

The Coolest Halloween Costume Ever

I didn't say the scariest. Just the coolest. I'm just imagining all the fun I could have with this on Halloween night. Hehehehehe.

The Pulp Renaissance Continues

I picked this up at the comics shop this week after a few months of eager anticipation.

Congrats to Anthony Tollin and crew for a fine product at an affordable price. Two Shadow novels a month? That boggles my mind.

As excited I am about the Doc Savage reprints, that's a series I've read. Aside from the Shadow paperbacks, I only own a couple of the original pulps, so most of the Shadow stories will be new to me. And Tollin has started out with a great combination. "Crime, Insured" is one of Gibson's best, with a criminal mastermind offering insurance to crooks to protect them against The Shadow, while "The Golden Vulture" is a legendary novel, in that it was Lester Dent's audition for Street & Smith which led to his Doc Savage gig.

With this new series of reprints, the Wild Cat Books stuff, and reprints from Adventure House, Girasol and Wildside, we are living in the second Golden Age of pulp fiction.

Saturday Pulp

Friday Pulp

Thursday Pulp

Wednesday Pulp

Tuesday Pulp

Pod of Horror #21

Pod of Horror #21 is here and the show is filled with fun, frights and lame bandwidth-wasting attempts at humor, ‘cause that’s how we roll. This time around:

* Larry Roberts talks to us about Bloodletting Press.

* Cullen Bunn previews his new comic, The Damned.

* Chinese Dracula is back, with a little whiiiiiiine!

* Nanci Kalanta fills us in on Horror World’s second anniversary plans.

* Dave covers the latest Poop.

* Bobby Sammy Justice warbles an ode to PoH.

* Scott Bradley goes Bizarro with JESUS FREAKS.

* Grim Rictus wants to call the White House.

* And in The Tomb of Trivia, we give away VESSELS and DARK HARVEST.

Pod of Horror hosted by Mark Justice and David T. Wilbanks. Download it at I-Tunes or direct to your desktop.

And be sure to drop by the Justice & Wilbanks message board.

Monday Pulp

Bengals 28 Steelers 20

Who Dey, indeed.

Sunday Pulp

Saturday Pulp

The State of Mark

The skies are gray and the rain has been drizzling down for about four hours. I have a bunch of projects I should be working on, but it’s been a long week and I’m taking a breather. Here come streams from my addled consciousness.

One of the signs that the end is near: Marvel comes is doing a crossover with tv soap The Guiding Light. Read about it, if you dare.

On Monday, I did something to my knee so now when I walk, it feels like the knee is bending the wrong way. As a result, I’ve been walking like Festus on Gunsmoke.

I’ve been on a bit of a pulp frenzy (like you couldn’t tell from the past few entries). Now I have to get back into horror, as I have a pile of books waiting to be reviewed. The problem I have with reading pulps is that – for me – they’re like Lay’s Potato Chips or Chik-Fil-A nuggets. Or crack. Once I read one, I can’t stop.

Speaking of pulps, I’m made a good dent in another long pulp story for Wildcat Books. As soon as it’s finished, I have to work on two horror stories, then I’m finishing up Mad Reign of the Plague Master. Then it’s two more pulp stories for WCB. Busy busy.

All of the above will be periodically interrupted by work on the novel I’m writing with Dave Wilbanks, the sequel to Dead Earth: The Green Dawn. I’m behind on it now, and I’d better start typing this evening or else I’ll face the wrath of Dastardly Dave.

I just watched an incredible DVD.


Steve Earle is a phenomenal performer. A poet, playwright and activist, his songs of poor boys fighting rich men’s wars are the soundtrack for America in 2006. At least the America I live in. And “Conid, Condi” is the funniest song in years.

We’re putting a new podcast together tomorrow. Look for more on Monday.

A while back I put together a proposal for a comic book series. I shopped it around with less than spectacular results. But now an interesting development could make it a viable property. When there’s something to talk about, I’ll spill the beans.

In three weeks we leave on a seven day Caribbean cruise. As on past cruises, I’ll be the palest white man on the ship.

Okay. On to the tape of My Name is Earl. Have a good weekend. Go Bengals.

She Can Butter My Cornbread Anytime

Friday Pulp

Thursday Pulp Part 2

Thursday Pulp

Secret Agent X

I have a story in the upcoming Secret Agent X anthology from Wildcats Books, edited by Ron Fortier. It's a revival of the classic pulp hero. Here's one of the covers to the original magazine:


I had a great time writing my story "Cult of the Walking Dead", and I was blown away when artist Rob Davis sent me one of his illustrations for my story:

"The resurrected man on the stage tilted back his head and wailed. It was a cry that had more animal than man in it."

Another of Rob's illios for my story is up at The Pulp Factory.

I can't wait to see the finished product. I'll let you know when the book is out.

Wednesday Pulp

No Pulp Cover Today

I really wanted to post a Doc Savage cover, but -- surprise, surprise -- Blogger is being uncooperative.

Instead, I'll take this opportunity to remind you that I post pulp and comic book covers most days over at the Media Madness forum of The Lost and the Damned message board. Drop by sometime and check it out.

Let's continue the linkage with the company that's bringing out the new facsimile reprints of Doc and the Shadow.

Have a nice evening. Check back later for more pulp covers, Blogger -- and "Gid" -- willing.

R.I.P Charles L. Grant

I just learned that Charles. L. Grant has passed away after an extended illness.

I never met the man, but I was always inspired by his writing and his editing.

He was a proponent of quiet horror, though he could get down and nasty and funny in his writing. Just read either of his X-Files novels.

The first book of his I read was The Hour of the Oxrun Dead, a volume I checked out of the Flatwoods Public Library when I still had all my hair.

But it was his wonderful anthologies that blew me away. The Shadows series introduced me to many writers who have become masters of the horror genre. I also have a fondness for those great single word anthos like Fears, Terrors , Horrors and Nightmares.

It's a terrible loss for the genre and the world of books. My condolences go out to his family.

It's Not That Easy Being Green

Pulp O' The Day

Pulp o' The Day

Some Good News

It looks like good things are on the way for my pulp novel Mad Reign of the Plague Master, originally begun for the lamented and aborted Pulp Nocturne site. I excerpted the first chapter here in June (you can check the archives if you wish), and it seems Doc Kronos and the Reaper have some life left in them, thanks to Ron Fortier and Wildcat Books.

More details to come.

Pulp o' The Day

Bengals 23 Chiefs 10

Whoo-hoo. How 'bout a bowl of chili and another oat soda?

Feeling A Little Pulpy

The Pulp Factory

I'm a member of a new group blog called The Pulp Factory. A number of writers of modern pulp fiction have come together to talk about writing, pulp fiction and various projects. If you fancy yourself a fan of the bloody pulps, check it out.

Fan Mail

I got this lovely email message today regarding my radio show. I’ve adjusted the profanity for the more sensitive of you, but the rest is unchanged.

First Name: DANNY
Last Name: ******
Email Address: DANNY_******@HOTMAIL.COM
City: ASHLAND
State: KY
Comments: I think that was bulls*** the other morning, when you idiots was making fun of not only Steve Irwin, but of God as well.. I hope you know that i used to listen to your radio station, but now, i won't even dare to listen.. You try to act funny, but it's cruel.. I hope you all who was involved get paid back, and i am sure you all will... God don't let things like that happen. You should be ashamed of yourself.. Everyone i know heard that, and they too are upset, and furious... I think it is a discrace.. to make fun of one of the best men in the world.. Steve Irwin was the best guy ever, and you dumb idiots assholes, made fun of him... and Our Lord... I hope you all go broke.. no one will be listening to your station anymore... 104.1 wpay IS THE BEST RADIO STATION EVER, YOU ALL DON'T EVEN COMPETE THERE... SO GROW UP, AND GET A LIFE, AND THINK REALLY HARD ABOUT WHAT YOU DID... PAYBACKS COULD BE HORRIBLE IN GIDS EYES... YOU WOULD DESERVE IT.. I HOPE YOU ARE HAPPY NOW, NO ONE LIKE YOUR STAION... I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY TO WORTHLESS PEOPLE WHO ARE SUCH A DISCRACE TO MY COMMUNITY... SO F*** OFF, THATS MY OPINION, AND I DO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEACH... F*** HEADS... BYE ASSHOLES... DUMB F***S.. IDIOTS.. F*** C***S..OHHHH AND D*** HOLE LICKERS, AND C** SUCKERS!!! HAHAHAHHA! F***TARDS THATS WHAT YOU ARE, YOU ARE THEM S***, I JUST S*** OUT... LITERALLY... YOU ARE A TURD... THATS IT, F***ERS

Danny,

Thanks for listening. I appreciate your input into the creative process, but I fear that “Gid” may not approve of the swearing in your “speach”.

Best Regards,
Mark

Hee Haw

If anyone cares, I've sold another humor column to a local magazine. This one's about the Sunday drive with my family that so freaked Norma out that she almost didn't marry me.

Didn't all families put peanuts in their bottles of Coca-Cola?

You can order the Fall 2006 issue at the Bridges site.

Aw, Poop

My cousin Bobby Sammy has tracked me down over at the Justice/Wilbanks message board.

This can't turn out well.

Pod of Horror #20

Pod of Horror has moved! Our new home is Horror World, and we celebrate our first anniversary with a stellar line-up on PoH #20:

* T. M. Wright talks writing, ghosts and the afterlife.

* Scott Bradley digs into THE RUINS.

* Dave’s serves up Poop and a close look at Tim Waggoner’s books.

* Nanci Kalanta says “fangs” for the Horrorfind memories.

* We give away two hot new books in The Tomb of Trivia.

* Grim Rictus answers your question with compassion. (*snicker*)

Pod of Horror hosted by Mark Justice and David T. Wilbanks. Download it at I-Tunes (we hope) or direct to your desktop.

And be sure to drop by the Justice & Wilbanks message board.