Insane for BRAIIIIINS!!!

If y'all are like me and are tired of the whole Vampire THIS, Zombie THAT, nonsense as of late...

Have got some good news for you.

Award-winning Writer,Artist,Critic,Editor,Filmmaker of the upcoming short film

The Captured Bird, and all around BAD A$$,

Jovanka Vukovic,comes to the rescue with ZOMBIES!An Illustrated History of the Undead.

Vukovic is the perfect representative to be our tour guide through this awesome journey of Zombieville(I hear it's nice there in the fall but the over barring locals can sometimes make you want to run for the hills).

This book not only gives the us an interesting history of zombies,with its origins in Haiti,but takes the reader from early literature to it inception on the silver screen in the 1930's -to present day.

It was in the latter part of the 60's when a young filmmaker by the name of George Romero introduced audiences to a new renaissance of zombies. A chapter is dedicated to Romero and his everlasting influence on the zombie culture. Romero is and forever will be "The Godfather of Zombies".

Hell ,you need another reason to get book..The Godfather himself,wrote the forward.

In my opinion Romero's words alone are well worth price of admission here.

Jovanka also delves into how the zombie culture has gone transmedia ...not only infecting novels,comics , movies,television,gaming ,mobile devices,social networks,flash mob/zombie walks ...it's a epidemic that is indeed growing.

This book is written in a fashion that not only informs the reader but entertains us.

Jovanka's vast knowledge in horror truly flexes its meaty muscle here.

If Yale taught a class in Zombism 101...this would be the text book.

Not just filled with fact after colorful factoid...this book is splattered with deep,rich,almost delicious photos...not only a great resource but a beautiful edition to devour.

Thank You, Jovanka!!!

You have renewed my faith not only in all things scary and ghoulish...but have shown me that

the zombies genre is far from reaching its dead (or in this case undead) end.

'til next time Cabrones!

CAL McDONALD:Detective Tales

Cal McDonald did some harm,ee-i-ee-i-OH!

and did some harm on a vamp and pig(that's police officer,you Justin Bieberians),ee-i-ee-i-OH!

with a gunshot here,pimpslap there,here a shot,there a slap ,everywhere a gunslap.

Cal McDonald did some harm,ee-i-ee-OH MY GAWD!

hmmm...a-yeah.

Tell us a story Grandpa...

So I've been a big fan of Steve Niles,waaay before 30 DAYS OF NIGHT was a movie..you 'member graphic novels, don't ya boys and ghouls?You know those books with pretty doodles that are turned into mediocre summer blockbuster moving pictures...yeah.
Steve is credited as bringing the horror genre back into comics and boy has he.

He has written for all the big comic companies,bringing his unique sci-fi /horror-centric writing style to the best of the aforementioned comic giants stable of characters.

But it is Niles' creator owned cast of creepies that showcase his awesome talent.

Cal McDonald is just one of those.

From the successful CRIMINAL MACABRE trade paperbacks and novels,comes an all new

self published novel,CAL McDONALD:Detective Tales Vol.One

Along with artist, Kelley Jones, Niles brings us two new short stories furthering the misadventures of our hard boiled,anti hero ,detective.

First off ,the stories are great.

An easy read that is meat and potatoes good....no filler,just good old-fashioned storytelling.

The art by Jones is as gritty as the story that the illustrations enhance.

Cool stories?Check!

Cool Art? Check!
What more could you ask for?

Well what makes this collection even cooler are the little touches,These little bonuses that when given to you from the big companies seem gimmicky...are just plain cool here.

Each issue is inserted in a plastic bag marked "EVIDENCE" and is rubber stamped on the inside with a a smoking gun...Now are you gonna find this at Barnes & Nobles...probably not .You know why?...cuz there isn't an ISNB number .In fact inside the novel it even says " #$&* ISNB numbers"...I laughed when I read that and knew that I was in for something fun.This digest-sized collection feels very handmade .I envision Niles having paper cuts and red stamp ink all over his Cthulu shirt putting this book together...which is probably not the case...but it MY vision dagnabit!
Still not convinced?

Here's how the book opens..

"Hendricks was bleeding to death by the time I reached him near the intersection of sewer tunnel.He'd had his side ripped out like a bite out of a melon.His upper and lower intestines were splashed on the cement like vomited Udon noodles.

he didn't have long.

The thing had gotten him.

I was was on my own,in the sewers, against one of the freakiest things I'd ever encountered,and all I had was a Glock with a single cartridge and a shotgun with two shells."

Huh?...Huh! didn't I tell you.

If you are still not sold ,I think "The House of Big Ideas" is cloning Spiderman again.

So in short..this is a very cool book from some very cool folks.

ee-i-ee-i GO! buy this book already!

BUY IT!!!!

'til next time Cabrones!

LEGEND OF THE FIST: The Return of Chen Zhen

Synopsis:

In 1920's China, the nation is divided by infighting,Japan has become the most powerful force in Asia,taking over Northern Shanghai. With the city torn in half ,the popular nightclub "Casablanca"becomes a hotbed for spies,mobsters,English officials and the Japanese military-all looking to gain control of the country,with little regard for its citizens.

Legendary Chinese folk hero Chen Zhen(Donnie Yen) returns to China pretending to be wealthy playboy "KU" during the day and masked avenger at night ,determined to stop the Japanese invasion.Zhen becomes entangled with sultry show girl Kiki(Shu Qi) who has a secret all her own.Zhen's secret past catches up to him and he is forced to face impossible odds .

The opening action sequence that takes place in Europe ,where Chen Zhen and the allied forces fight against the Nazis ,is one of the best kinetic martial arts fights I've seen in a while....definitely well worth the price of admission.

Though director Andrew Lau(INFERNAL AFFAIRS) tries his best to mix martial arts and drama a la Ang Lee.

The attempt at a FISTS OF FURY / LUST/CAUTION mash-up,unfortunately falls short.

Now being a child of the 70's...1970's not 1870's,silly...

I was brought up on a healthy first run diet of classic martial arts cinema from the likes of Bruce Lee, Sonny Chiba, and Gordon Liu.

I was and am a fan of those legends as well as Jackie Chan ,Sammo Hung, and Jet Li.

Donnie Yen ,even though legend in his own right still hasn't been able to make it big here in the U.S.

Maybe with this film and the current release of "Ip Man",Yen just might crossover.

Yen is definitely the saving grace here..his charisma and martial arts prowess save this film every time he jumps into action.

Even though this film is far from perfect,the one/two punch of the fight sequences and Yen's Martial artistry well make up for it!

LEGEND OF THE FIST : The Return of Chen Zhen

opens in limted release April 22nd