Atomic Pulp

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Max Allan Collins has been one of my favorite crime fiction authors since I first discovered his work around 1983. I was a fan of his comic book series Ms. Tree (with artist Terry Beatty), and, once I stumbled across a paperback copy of his novel Blood Money in a Dover, New Jersey thrift store, I was a die-hard fan of his novels as well.

Around 1991, I finally had the opportunity to work with him – first when he contributed stories to comics and magazines that I edited for a small company called Alpha Productions, and then again a couple years later, when I went to work for Tekno*Comix in Boca Raton, Florida. It was there that I had the great privilege of working with both Max and Mickey Spillane as editor of their Mickey Spillane’s Mike Danger comic book series.

Over the ensuing years, Max and I have stayed in touch off and on, and about a month or so ago, he contacted me to see if I would be interested in designing some covers for new editions of his out of print “Nolan” crime novels, scheduled to be published by Perfect Crime Books. These books, which chronicle the exploits of an aging professional thief and his youthful, comic-fan sidekick, are among my favorites of Max’s many works, so I was thrilled by the offer.

I’ve just sent off the final print files to publisher John Boland, and, with his kind permission, thought I’d share them here. Presumably, these books will be available for purchase sometime in 2012.

As always, I have a number of different projects in the works, slowly inching their way toward completion. In addition to these existing commitments, I have provisionally decided to assemble a single-volume collection of most of my previously published short fiction, and self-publish it later this year as both an e-book and a print-on-demand paperback edition.

A lot of those early stories are kinda embarrassing to me now, so there will probably be a fair amount of re-writing and polishing done, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about self-publishing my own fiction, and this volume – tentatively titled The Dead And The Deadly – will be something of a trial run. The book will contain all of the “Nightmark” short stories, my “Matthew Dain” private eye stories (possibly including a couple previously-unrecorded cases), and some supernatural adventure tales originally published in the Sun years ago.

The cover design shown here is also tentative – the Fred Harper “Nightmark” painting originally appeared on the cover of Shadow House #5.

Assuming all goes smoothly, I plan on publishing the book under the Atomic Pulp imprint in the Winter or Spring.

My Internet pal Jack Badelaire digs old Men’s Adventure fiction – you know, stuff like The Executioner, The Destroyer, Nick Carter: Killmaster, Ninja Master, Able Team, et al – as much, or more, than I do.

But he’s not satisfied just reading old paperbacks until they crumble to dust in his hands, he blogs about them. And now, he’s launching an e-zine, Hatchet Force Journal, available at Amazon for the Kindle, dedicated to their testosterone-fueled legacy – as well as the genre’s present and future.

Early this morning, I came across the cover image that Jack had created for his ‘zine, and as a guy who made his living for 25 years as a graphic artist and art director, I thought it could use some improvement. Fortunately, Jack agreed. I’ll also be doing the covers for future issues.

Check out Jack’s blog, Post-Modern Pulps, and remember, you can buy the first issue of his new e-zine here: Hatchet Force Journal Issue #1

Received my comps of Kolchak: The Night Stalker Files #2 in the mail today. Those are the issue’s three variant covers pictured above (only one of which has even a tenuous link to the story within). It’s not on this week’s Diamond shipping list, but I’m guessing it’ll be in stores next week (03/16/11). If I find out otherwise, I’ll post the information here.

However, it can be ordered directly from Moonstone now.

“I don’t know if it because I am a fan of the show, or that I’ve watched it fairly recently, but reading this book, I could hear Darren McGavin speaking into his tape recorder and hear the swish of his seer-sucker suit. Mills, I have to think, is as much a fan as I am. To say he nails the feels and tone of the old Night Stalker is a mild statement to be sure.”
- “Timelord”
Jonja.net

CONFIRMED: Kolchak: The night Stalker Files #2 is on Diamond Comics’ shipping list for 3/16/11. It will be in stores this Wednesday.

Here are three pages of artwork by my amigo Eduardo Barreto for our proposed “Arabian Nights” graphic novel, Sinbad: The Coils of the Serpent. We do not have a  publisher for the project – but then, I haven’t started shopping it around yet. I do expect to start pitching it to editors in a  month or so, once we have the first chapter completed.

The story is an original adventure of the legendary Persian sailor, chock-full of sorcery, monsters, pirates, ancient civilizations, swordplay, pirates and beautiful women. Hopefully, someone out there will want to publish it.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Here’s another look at the forthcoming Gravedigger: Hot Women, Cold Cash graphic novel from Ape Entertainment, illustrated by the always awesome Rick Burchett. This one’s been years in the making (the first Gravedigger one-shot came out back in ’04!), but I feel that we’re in the home stretch now. The new volume will include the original one-shot, “The Scavengers,” this all-new story, “The Predators,” and a pulp-style prose story by yours truly, also illustrated by Rick. Look for it later this year.

Apparently the second issue of Kolchak: The Night Stalker Files is in stores now. I wouldn’t have known about it (but then, I’ve been in a bit of  fog lately) if I hadn’t stumbled upon a handful of nice reviews:

Kolchak #2 Review by Michael May

Kolchak #2 Review @ Comics Bulletin

Kolchak #2 Review @ Player Affinity (WARNING: Spoilers from an over-detailed synopsis! Might want to skip to the last couple of paragraphs!)

Kolchak #2 Review @ Jonga.net

So far, it appears to be well-received, and I’m quite grateful!

Outlaw Territory Volume 2, a Western anthology containing  the story “The Face on the Poster,” by Yours Truly, Joe Staton and Rick Burchett, with colors by Michael Watkins, also came out this week from Image Comics.

UPDATE/CORRECTION: Apparently Kolchak: The Night Stalker Files #2 hasn’t actually shipped yet, but is due in stores shortly. I’ve been informed by my pal Martin Powell, whose first issue of The Spider (highly recommended, BTW!) is supposed to be out around the same time, that our publisher, Moonstone, sent out some advance copies for review. I’ll post an update when the book actually hits the shelves.

Always the last to know….

Apparently, the fine folks at Moonstone Books have solicited the third issue of Kolchak: The Night Stalker Files, written by yours truly and illustrated by Jaime Martinez, for shipping to comics shops in March, 2011.

Here’s the solicitation copy:

Story: Chris Mills
Art: Jaime Martinez
Cover: Woodrow Hinton III
32pgs, color, $3.99

Deep in the heart of the wild Everglades, a bloodthirsty swamp beast is on the hunt for human prey. But, when reporter Carl Kolchak sets out with a U.S. Marshall to find the creature, he learns the hard way that not all monsters are what they seem to be!

This issue presents the second part of “Swamp Things,” which chronicles Carl’s first assignment for his new employer, the supermarket tabloid World Bulletin.

Here’s the cover art by Woodrow Hinton III.

According to Moonstone Books, the long-awaited first issue of the new Kolchak: The Night Stalker Files ongoing series, written by yours truly, will be in stores this Thursday, December 2nd.

Here’s the solicitation copy again:

Night stalking reporter Carl Kolchak doesn’t have time for horror movies. His life is scary enough – and now he’s between jobs and desperate for a paycheck. But when a young actress goes missing on the set of a low-budget monster flick, he soon discovers that making it big in Hollywood can be murder! Art by Jaime Martinez.  Covers by Woodrow Hinton III and Mark Maddox.