Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021

Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021 edited by Linda Landrigan In 1956, HSD Publications wanted to create a new mystery story magazine. To boost sales, they licensed the name of Alfred Hitchcock, a famous director who was then the host of a popular television show. While Mr. Hitchcock otherwise had nothing to do… Continue reading Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021

Book Review: A Coffin for Dimitrios

Book Review: A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler Latimer used to be a political economist at an English university, until contact with Nazi economical theory left him so out of sorts that he wrote a detective novel to relax. He turned out to be quite good at writing detective stories, and has become a… Continue reading Book Review: A Coffin for Dimitrios

Manga Review: Beast Complex I

Manga Review: Beast Complex I by Paru Itagaki As it happens, Paru Itagaki has loved drawing animals and animal-people since she was a child. So it’s no surprise that when she started professional manga creation, she chose to write about a world where various animal people lived together and tried to have a civilization. Before… Continue reading Manga Review: Beast Complex I

Webtoon Review: Invincible

Invincible and Allen the Alien discuss the future.

Webtoon Review: Invincible Markus “Mark” Grayson is, on the surface, a fairly typical teenager in his final year of high school. He studies, is interested in a girl, has a terrible part time job, and worries about living up to his father’s expectations. What makes this a bit more unusual is that Mark’s father Nolan… Continue reading Webtoon Review: Invincible

Book Review: The Man on the Balcony

Book Review: The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo It is June 2, 1967 in Stockholm, Sweden. A man stands on his balcony, smoking and watching the street as the sun rises. It’s going to be a scorcher today. A peaceful enough scene, but the calm of the city is going… Continue reading Book Review: The Man on the Balcony

Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series

Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr (also printed as “World’s Best Science Fiction 1967”) The introduction to this volume of science fiction stories from 1966 mentions that there was a tendency to longer stories in the field, perhaps because many of the ideas required more… Continue reading Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series

Manga Review: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (Stardust Crusaders) Vol. 15

Manga Review: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (Stardust Crusaders) Vol. 15 by Hirohiko Araki Note: The following review contains SPOILERS for previous volumes in the Stardust Crusaders manga. At last, the Joestars and their allies have managed to beat all of DIO’s important lackies, at great cost, meaning that it’s time to take the battle to DIO… Continue reading Manga Review: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (Stardust Crusaders) Vol. 15

Movie Review: Absolution (1978)

Father Goddard tries to instill the fear of God into a student.

Movie Review: Absolution (1978) directed by Anthony Page Father Goddard (Richard Burton) teaches Latin and Doctrine at St. Anthony’s, a Catholic boarding school for boys. A joyless man, Father Goddard is also a form master who oversees the dormitory for one group of the students. Two boys in his form are of special interest. Benjamin “Benjie”… Continue reading Movie Review: Absolution (1978)

Anime Review: Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan

Why is one of Japan's most successful manga creators broke?

Anime Review: Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan Kishibe Rohan is one of the truly great manga creators. He’s known for his superhuman drawing and inking speed (when he’s motivated), weird plotlines, and being eccentric and egotistical. What is not known to the general public is that he’s actually superhuman, possessing a Stand Power named “Heaven’s Door”… Continue reading Anime Review: Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine June 1952

This cover does not depict any of the stories within. Make up your own mystery!

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine June 1952 edited by Ellery Queen This is the last issue of EQMM I have to hand, but someday I hope to get out to garage sales again…. “Homecoming” by Veronica Parker Johns was inspired, so the introduction says, by the Kefauver hearings and the author getting a much… Continue reading Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine June 1952