Comments on: Cross-Hatchings for November ’09

By: Matthew Johnson

Matthew Johnson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:50:10 +0000

I can’t quite imagine that novelization of “A Hard Day’s ” Wouldn’t it be about ten pages long? Or did they include sheet music?

By: Sam L.

Sam L. — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:34:29 +0000

Glad I could help with titling, Greg!

Since I figure being called out by name in a hodge-podge column is the best chance I’m going to get to randomly plug the site I’m currently writing for, I’d just like to suggest that anyone with an interest in comics AND movies (I know, not a lot of overlap) could check out wetalkshitaboutmovies.com.

Okay, self-indulgence over! Thank you for the leeway.

By: Greg Hatcher

Greg Hatcher — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:43:48 +0000

I have just recently picked up seven more Helm books, although it may take me a while to get to them.

They really are like popcorn. There's a bunch on Amazon for really cheap at the moment, but I found all mine at local bookstores. Most came from Cameron's in downtown Portland for a quarter each, back in 1982 or thereabouts. I love that place.

By: Edo Bosnar

Edo Bosnar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:32:25 +0000

On the subject of the just-concluded ‘comfort food’ columns, I’d like to second Perry’s sentiments: thanks again, those were fun. Also, kind of like Perry, I’m seriously looking at buying the Global Frequency trades, as well as some of the other books and movies mentioned. Not the first time that’s happened after reading one of Greg’s columns…

By: Sijo

Sijo — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:56:28 +0000

Thanks for clearing that up, Greg. Though I’m still confused why the movie is called “House of Horrors” when it takes place ON A TRAIN. Was it based from a series with that title?

Also, why did Death bother to even tell the men that they could only avoid those grisly futures by dying first- if they were ALREADY dead, there was no choice! Yeah, I know, it’s meant as a twist ending, but it’s an unsatisfying one. Maybe it was saying “be glad you’re dead, because look what would have happened otherwise.” Of course, they had no way of knowing if that was true…

By: Perry Holley

Perry Holley — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:04:40 +0000

I would be remiss if I didn’t give thanks to Greg for his recent ‘comfort food’ series – because of those columns, I have now picked up and read both of the Global Frequency TPBs, as well as the first Matt Helm novel (and I have just recently picked up seven more Helm books, although it may take me a while to get to them).

By: Bright-Raven

Bright-Raven — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:04:21 +0000

Re: Bryan Miller –

Smallville, Greg. He’s one of the writers / story editors over last season / current season.

By: Greg Hatcher

Greg Hatcher — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:19:45 +0000

Wasn't "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors" the movie where some men on a train are told by a stranger how each will die (all in horrible, supernatural ways of course)... only in the end, it turns out they were ALREADY DEAD? (apparently the train crashed.) Or am I thinking of another movie?

No, that was it. I put that cover up in a fit of nostalgia -- it was the first late night horror movie I saw on the old Sinister Cinema, back when I was a sprout. More info here for the curious.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:19:04 +0000

Greg, thanks for the VHS tapes!

Sijo, I think you might be thinking of Vault of Horror, but there is no train. Four men meet in an elevator and sent to the basement where they each relate a nightmare. Turns out that they’re dead. A nice, pre Doctor Who performance by Tom Baker. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=GoblinXXX#g/c/48119C88FA3AA89D

Dr. Terror stars Chris Lee and Peter Cushing (and Donald Sutherland: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=GoblinXXX#g/c/9E986DCA34D5DF35

I haven’t seen Dr. Terrors yet, so it might have a similiar plot for the anthology.

By: Sijo

Sijo — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:56:46 +0000

Wasn’t “Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors” the movie where some men on a train are told by a stranger how each will die (all in horrible, supernatural ways of course)… only in the end, it turns out they were ALREADY DEAD? (apparently the train crashed.) Or am I thinking of another movie? The title doesn’t really fit, but for some reason it brings back the memory of that movie. I was a kid when I saw it so maybe I’m misremembering. More than scary, I found it confusing, because the ending made no sense… was Death just mocking the poor guys? Anybody know what I’m talking about? Greg?

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:23:22 +0000

Sad to hear Tony Daniel’s run on Batman might not be so good. But I’ll buy the back issues anyway cause I, like the fans you mention, have an impulse to know what’s going on!

Thanks for this!

By: Mike Blake

Mike Blake — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:04:06 +0000

Greg,
If you’d like to see the Peter Cushing episode of THE WORLD OF HAMMER, someone has sliced it into YouTube-sized chunks and pasted it there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li3JIhK0CEQ

By: Rebis

Rebis — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:57:49 +0000

Dunno what the sales figures are for Batgirl — I think it’s doing fine. Michael is referring, Greg, to the fact that DC is holding the next issue of B&R (supposedly) because it ties into Blackest Night somehow. I think DiDio gave an interview where he said the next B&R ish has to come out after BN #6, so we won’t get a new B&R until January.

Personally, I’m guessing they’re postponing it not so much because of a Blackest Night connection, but because they want to give all their artists (Stewart, Irving & Quitely) some more time to work on their arcs. (Well, I dunno about Stewart — he might not be slow — but surely Irving & Quitely could use the breather.)

By: Greg Hatcher

Greg Hatcher — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:01:34 +0000

We have a winner for the Hammer giveaway! Congratulations to Jeff Stadt. That didn’t take long at all.

And no, I didn’t look at the solicits. If Batgirl’s already canceled or something don’t tell me, I don’t want to know. I’ll be depressed.

By: Daryll B

Daryll B — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:37:07 +0000

Greg, I never thought of it like that before but looking back at it now, the hints are all there. The Batman/ Batgirl Beyond parallel is genius man. For awhile I have thought that the Batgirl book was the strongest of the family but couldn’t put my finger on it. Now I know it is hitting all those BB feeling inside me.

Again..you a genius Greg..lol

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:49:20 +0000

I guess you haven’t seen the more recent Batman and Robin solicits, Greg…

By: Steve Flack

Steve Flack — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:44:40 +0000

I’d be all about the new Batgirl, if they hadn’t saddled her with such an awful costume.