Movie Review: The Return of the Five Deadly Venoms

Avengers Assemble!

Movie Review: The Return of the Five Deadly Venoms (1978) directed by Cheh Chang, aka Crippled Avengers Tao (Kuan Tai-Chen) once used his Tiger-style kung fu for good, clearing out bandits and such, and became prosperous as a result. Unfortunately a gang (coincidentally also called “Tigers”) decided to strike back at Tao, and when they found he… Continue reading Movie Review: The Return of the Five Deadly Venoms

Anime Review: Super Crooks

Most of the gang.

Anime Review: Super Crooks Johnny Bolt used to be, well, not a “sweet” kid, exactly, but one with at least a little idealism. Comic books based on the Utopian and other superheroes gave him hope that there could be a better life. One night he discovers that he has electrical powers (his mother never has… Continue reading Anime Review: Super Crooks

Book Review: Rio Bravo

Book Review: Rio Bravo by Leigh Brackett Rio Bravo is a small town near the river of the same name in southern Texas by the Mexican border. Ordinarily Sheriff John T. Chance is able to handle the local rowdies with the help of deputy Stumpy, who doesn’t walk well since a bullet smashed his leg.… Continue reading Book Review: Rio Bravo

Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides

Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr Castle Shira is not a canny place. Ever since one of the Campbell soldiers involved in the Glencoe Massacre threw himself from the tower, supposedly to escape the ghost of a murdered MacDonald, there have been a series of falling deaths associated with… Continue reading Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides

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

Movie Review: Nightmare Castle

Jenny sees a picture of her sister and notes the strong family resemblance.

Movie Review: Nightmare Castle (1965) directed by Mario Caiano (original title “Amanti d’Oltretomba”) Jenny Arrowsmith (nee Hampton) (Barbara Steele) has always had fragile mental health, and has spent much of her life at the “clinic” of Dr. Dereck Joyce (Marino Mase). Recently, Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith (Paul Muller) arrived to inform her of the death of his… Continue reading Movie Review: Nightmare Castle

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

Book Review: Clive Barker’s Books of Blood Volume II

Book Review: Clive Barker’s Books of Blood Volume II by Clive Barker Everybody is a book of blood; wherever we’re opened, we’re red. Prescript to the Books of Blood, presumably a joke by Clive Barker himself. In the mid-1980s, Clive Barker broke onto the horror scene with a collection of short(ish) stories divided up into… Continue reading Book Review: Clive Barker’s Books of Blood Volume II

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

Book Review: Widows Wear Weeds

Book Review: Widows Wear Weeds by A.A. Fair (Erle Stanley Gardner) Erle Stanley Gardner became famous thanks to his Perry Mason stories, featuring a defense attorney whose client is always innocent (of the particular murder the story is about.) But not every one of his story ideas fit that mold, so under the pen name… Continue reading Book Review: Widows Wear Weeds