Coming Soon: Ragnarok Volume 1: Last God Standing by Walter Simonson

Out Nov. 12.
Ragnarok... the Twilight of the Gods in Norse mythology... the destruction of the Nine Worlds. And now, three hundred years later, the birth of vengeance. Collects issues #1-6. Walter Simonson returns to comics in a BIG way with an all-new series.

Final trailer for James Bond: Spectre


Pop Culture Roundup: Kaluta's Carson; Boswell Sisters documentary; Master of Kung Fu Omnibus plans

Via The Golden Age: Michael W. Kaluta's adaptions of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Carson of Venus stories were published in DC Comics' Korak, Tarzan and Tarzan Family titles in the 1970s and are fabulous. They should be re-printed in a decent format. In the meantime, you can have a look at them here.

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A Kickstarter campaign is in the works to produce a documentary film about the fabulous Boswell Sisters.


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In news that will make Bronze Age comics fans (like me) swoon, Marvel has announced plans to collect its Master of Kung Fu in a series of four huge omnibus books starting next summer. Reprints up until now have been off the table due to rights issues, which are now evidently resolved.
The series began in 1974 with issue 15 of Special Marvel Edition magazine by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin before it was renamed to The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu, gained massive popularity and ran until issue 125 in 1983.

New Music Friday: Paul McCartney; Blitzen Trapper; Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., more

Click the links to order discounted CDs, vinyl and downloads from Amazon.










Coming Soon: Love - Reel to Real

Out Nov. 27.

High Moon Records' deluxe reissue of the final studio album from one of rock musics most gifted and enigmatic legends - on CD for the first time in a deluxe Digipak with a full-color, 32-page booklet, and expanded with 12 bonus tracks. Reel To Real captures Arthur Lee and Love at the peak of their rock/funk/soul powers. Originally released in 1974 on RSO Records, this beautifully packaged, deluxe reissue features vibrant, remastered audio from the original tapes, a 28-page, 9x12-inch LP booklet with an illuminating essay by Rolling Stone's David Fricke, and a trove of candid, unpublished photos.

What Arthur Lee began on Loves Black Beauty (released by High Moon Records to wide acclaim in 2013), he brought to fruition on Reel To Real. Armed with a major label budget, and a powerful, intuitive band, he dug deep into the blues, soul, and rock grooves that first inspired him, reaching out to a new audience with his fierce and forward-thinking personal vision. The album features Arthurs beloved Black Beauty band: drummer Joe Blocker, guitarist Melvan Whittington, and bassist Robert Rozelle, who he referred to as, cats who can play funky and rock; augmented by guitar-ace John Sterling, and cameo appearances by legendary guitarists Harvey Mandel and Buzzy Feiten. To a palette of stinging guitars, explosive brass (arranged by Arthur Lee), deep funk bass and clavinet, splashes of spacey synthesizer, and dream-team female backing vocals, Arthur Lee brought his funkiest and most soulful collection of songs, and channeled the most visceral vocal performances he ever committed to tape.

High Moon Records has unearthed 11 revelatory, previously-unreleased tracks from the original sessions including alternate takes and mixes, live-in-studio rehearsals, and 4 newly-discovered Arthur Lee originals: Do It Yourself, I Gotta Remember, Somebody, and You Gotta Feel It. These songs three fully-produced rockers, and a spare, jaunty, Imagine-era John Lennon, by-way-of Sly Stone studio sketch were previously unknown to all but their original participants, and present a major addition to Arthur Lees catalog. Other bonus track highlights include the guitar fury in the extended, alternate mix of Busted Feet, the eccentric and darkly-comic single mix of You Said You Would, and an impromptu studio rehearsal of Forever Changes outtake Wonder People (I Do Wonder). This ultra-rare bonus material fills out the picture of a fearless, agile and very funky ensemble, led by a masterful singer-songwriter at his feral, exultant best.

Pop Artifact: Vintage Marvel Comics lunchbox



Coming Soon: The Velvet Underground Matrix Tapes

Out Nov. 20. No specs, yet.



Vinage "Lost in Space" pics



New comics this week: Mad Art of Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Will Elder; Arrow; Batman; Wonder Woman; King Features; Lee-Kirby S.H.I.E.L.D, Bronze Age of DC Comcisl; Tintin, more

Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.