Movie Review: The Ape (1940)

Dr. Adrien spots Nabu at the window.

Movie Review: The Ape (1940) directed by William Nigh Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Bernard Adrien (Boris Karloff) was expelled from the Robinson Institute for unauthorized experiments with spinal fluid. He moved to an obscure small town and started a practice as a humble country doctor. marrying and starting a family. Ten years ago, there was a… Continue reading Movie Review: The Ape (1940)

Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro

Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro by Edogawa Rampo Edogawa Rampo was the pen name of Hirai Tarou (1894-1965), who I last talked about as the author of The Fiend with Twenty Faces. That children’s book featured Akechi Kogoro as the Detective Boys’ adult mentor, but he was already an established series character… Continue reading Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro

Manga Review: The Trial of Kitaro

Manga Review: The Trial of Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki This is the final volume in Drawn & Quarterly’s reprints of selected Gegege no Kitaro stories. The history section wraps up with Mizuki dealing with the pressures of fame by taking a long trip to Rabaul, where he had been stationed in World War Two, and… Continue reading Manga Review: The Trial of Kitaro

Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces

Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces by Edogawa Rampo The year is 1936. Japan occupies Korea and Manchukuo, and has set its sights on the rest of China. But for most Japanese civilians, war is far away. What is exciting right now is the capers of the man known as The Fiend with Twenty… Continue reading Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces

Movie Review: He Walked by Night

Lee explains his findings to Brennan and Jones.

Movie Review: He Walked by Night (1948) directed by Alfred Werker Los Angeles, California, late 1945. An LAPD patrol car spots a man standing in front of a closed electronics store. He hurriedly walks away, but the patrol officer follows and asks him questions. When the man is asked for identification, he instead pulls a gun… Continue reading Movie Review: He Walked by Night

Magazine Review: Fantastic August 1969

Magazine Review: Fantastic August 1969 edited by Sol Cohen The opening editorial is by Ted White, the new managing editor. He talks about the decline in “fiction magazines” (the Saturday Evening Post had recently ceased publication for the first time) and is sad, but points out that times are always changing. He also mentions his… Continue reading Magazine Review: Fantastic August 1969

Manga Review: Case Closed, Volumes 77-79

Manga Review: Case Closed, Volumes 77-79 by Gosho Aoyama Recap: Conan Edogawa is actually Shinichi Kudou (Jimmy Kudo in the U.S. version), a genius teen detective who was poisoned by the Black Organization and now has the body of a pre-teen. This makes it more difficult for him to get listened to, but he keeps… Continue reading Manga Review: Case Closed, Volumes 77-79

Book Review: Spitfire Pilot

Book Review: Spitfire Pilot by Canfield Cook Bob “Lucky” Terrell may be from Texas, in the currently neutral United States of America, but he knows the Nazis are bad news, so he enlisted via Canada for the Royal Air Force. He turns out to be a very good pilot, so has been trained on the… Continue reading Book Review: Spitfire Pilot

Magazine Review: High Adventure #98: The Crimson Mask

Magazine Review: High Adventure #98: The Crimson Mask edited by John P. Gunnison When Robert Clarke was young, he watched his police officer father be gunned down by criminals. The image of his father’s blood-soaked face never left him. So after training himself in disguise, hand to hand combat, criminology, and becoming a PhG (Graduate… Continue reading Magazine Review: High Adventure #98: The Crimson Mask

TV Review: Lupin: Dans l’Ombre d’Arsene Part 2

Despite recent setbacks, Assane still has a plan.

TV Review: Lupin: Dans l’Ombre d’Arsene Part 2 Quick recap: Assane Diop (Omar Sy), a Senegalese immigrant to France, believes his father Babakar (Fargass Assande) was framed by his employer Hubert Pellegrini (Herve Pierre) for the theft of the fabulous Queen’s Necklace. Taking inspiration from Maurice LeBlanc’s tales of Arsene Lupin, Assane has fashioned himself… Continue reading TV Review: Lupin: Dans l’Ombre d’Arsene Part 2