Monday, March 23, 2015

The Hacker Files issue 2

The Hacker Files
by Lewis Shiner (story) and Tom Sutton (art)
issue 2
DC Comics, September 1992




In episode two of 'Soft War', we learn a bit more about why Jack Marshall so dislikes corporate types, and those from Digitronix, in particular. We also meet the members of the hacker collective that support's Marshall's efforts.....and the crisis taking place in the Pentagon's network takes a turn for the worse......

In the absence of any letters yet, Lewis Shiner devotes the letters column to an informative, 'I Was There' rundown of the history of cyberpunk....definitely worth reading !



























Saturday, March 21, 2015

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday
by Alan Weiss (script and art)

from Amazing High Adventure (Marvel Comics)
Issue 2, September 1985

Amazing High Adventure was an anthology comic book that Marvel published intermittently for 5 issues, from August 1984 - December 1986.

The book was edited by Carl Potts, one of the more talented artist / writers on the Marvel editorial staff at the time, and Potts selected material that was, by and large, of good quality and presented as well as anything could, in an era when Marvel and other major comic book publishers has switched to cheaper, plastic printing plates.

Amazing High Adventure was a conscious effort on Marvel's part to create an anthology that mimicked the classic 'men's adventure' magazines of the 50s and 60s. Rather than stories centered on superheroes, AHA focused on 'realistic' stories set in actual historical periods.



The second issue, released in September 1985, featured a nicely illustrated tale by writer/artist Alan Wiess titled 'Palm Sunday'. I've posted it below.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Heavy Metal magazine March 1985

'Heavy Metal' magazine March 1985




March, 1985, and in heavy rotation on FM radios and MTV is Julian Lennon's second hit single, 'Too Late for Goodbyes'.

The latest issue of Heavy Metal magazine is on the stands, with a front cover by Luis Royo and a striking back cover by Caza.

The 'Dossier' section has a review of Philip K. Dick's novels by erstwhile 'Rok' Critic Lou Stathis.....Stathis tosses in K. W. Jeter's 'Dr. Adder' as being in the Dick Canon.




Another Dossier page provides reviews of recently released sf novels, including Scholz and Harcourt's Ace Special 'Palimpsests.'  Reviewer Robert Morales praises the novel's 'Pynchonesque narrative' and 'Ballardian introspection'........personally, I gave up on 'Palimpsests' after the first 25 pages, because it sucked..........


The third part of Charles Burns's El Borbah comic 'Bone Voyage' is published; I have posted it below, and for the sake of continuity, I also include the second installment, which had appeared in the February,1985 issue of Heavy Metal.