The Shadowcast episode 4

Razorfist's Shadowcast returns this month with a review of The Shadow Strikes, one of The Shadow films most closely resembling the pulps. Pity that it was made on a shoestring. Also reviewed is the radio episode "Death House Rescue", a milestone for The Shadow as the first of Orson Welles' legendary run as The Knight of Darkness.

Razör vs Comics - ELRIC Vol. 3: "THE WHITE WOLF"

Like many, I too thought that the Elric BD would not fulfill the promised four volume run. And although I found the first volume beautiful but too disturbing for my comfort, I am glad to see the third volume finally hit shelves.

Of course, Razorfist has to weigh in on a project that combines several of his passions, Elric and bandes dessinees. And he does so with such passion that I'm considering giving the series--and Elric in general--a second chance. For most of Elric's adventures are as a sellsword, not as the king of decadent and hellish empire fit only to be destroyed. In this third volume, Elric finally develops into that traveler.

Along the way, Razorfist explains how BD comics are mainstream in France in ways that comics and manga can only hope to achieve, as well as breaks news that this first Elric BD run will have a sequel.

Razorfist on Solomon Kane

Once again, Razorfist graces us with a multi-media survey of a great pulp hero: Robert E. Howard's dour Puritan, Solomon Kane.

Quoth the Razor

Razorfist returns, yet again, to The Shadow to discuss how the current reinterpretation by Dynamite Comics misses the mark. In doing so, he makes a case for a hero with black and white morality in a gray world.

The Shadow doesn’t serve the Law. He serves Justice. And on occasions when the Law has run afoul of it, he’s been unafraid to turn his twin .45s on them as well. He serves a binary morality. And while he will make an effort to redeem the legitimately reformed? (He even has an agent devoted to the reformation of former criminals) Once someone has shown themselves beyond redemption, their fate has been assured. It isn’t always destruction (in many cases, he leaves enemies to the police, or leaves them in an even more elaborate personal Hell) but it’s always just, and invariably of philosophical importance. 

More than anything else, that’s what Si Spurrier’s atrocious Shadow comic lacks. In today’s age of gray morality? All he’s done is add touches of gray to a character who, today, would be far more interesting… the LESS ambiguous he is. These flourishes of pseudo-complexity come across as stilted and forced, because that’s precisely what they are. 

Imagine the controversy, the outrage, and the SALES… if The Shadow was in a modern comic… willing to execute a corrupt or racist police officer… and… a BLM/New Black Panther activist who crosses the line to murder, as the Dallas shooter did? If he did so without personal conflict, asserting his moral prerogative, and giddily cackled of the evil in their self-righteous hearts all the while? This is a character who could have a profound relevance today, but instead, Spurrier’s dated attempt to ‘update’ the character… have left The Shadow somewhere around the year 2006. 

The Shadow gets more contemporary, the closer he is to his original incarnation.

Incidentally, the Destroyer series filled part of this role in the 1970s. And it looks to be time for another such hero to arise. Look for him in indie, though.

Razorfist presents: The Shadow: DANGER IN THE DARK

After last year's success in recreating the Alfred Bester-penned episode of The Shadow Radio Show, The Immortal Murderer, Razorfist is back for Halloween with Danger in the Dark, the THIRD EVER, Orson Welles-era episode, until now, lost to the mists of time! This episode sees The Shadow match wits with an emerging supercriminal, whose blindness allows his other senses to function at peak efficiency!



This episode is dedicated to Emer Prevost (1982-2017), who played the Announcer.

Valerian: the Short Review

So the reviews for the Valerian movie are out. They are not kind, especially towards the acting. Personally, I see it as a fault of the writing, specifically that by shoe-horning Laureline into the mold of a Pixie-fu waifu, it destroyed the character dynamics and themes that the movie rested on. (More on that over at the Castalia House blog). And who in their right mind would turn a joyful character into such a surly ball-buster?

That said, I enjoyed it, mostly for the sense of wonder. Like the Solomon Kane movie before it, had it not borne the name of its source material, Valerian would have been a passable film on its own. But don't just take my word on it. Bande-dessine enthusiast Razorfist has his own take on this flawed, but fun movie.

Razorfist: The Attrition of Ambition

Razorfist raises an interesting point here which can be applied to science fiction and fantasy. Who are the visionaries of today's science fiction? In the past, we had Campbell, who, for all the recent fire he's taking from Pulp Revolution, gets it because he is the man who molded modern science fiction in his image. As his influence weakened in the 1950s and 1960s, the genre grew stale, narrowing only to a handful of writers. Upon Campbell's death, it can be argued that science fiction has been stumbling about looking for a vision to guide it. Who is out there showing what science fiction can be? (There are a lot of voices, mine included, caught up with telling people what it should be, but precious few out there to emulate.)

Geek Gab: A Conversation with John C. Wright, Razorfist, and Jeffro Johnson

As I owe both the Puppy of the Month Club and Castalia House a number of articles this week, posting here will be more Instapundit-style until the weekend.  Don't worry, I am working on a few ideas on New Wave, Campbelline vs. Futurian movements, and continued exploration of the trope described in this post. Unfortunately, the ideas need a little more time in the oven on top of time being a bit of a scarce resource this week. Fortunately, this weekend was a treasure trove of pulp and sci-fi conversation.

First on the list is Geek Gab's special episode with John C. Wright, Jeffro Johnson, and Razorfist as they talk pulps. I hope that each guest can return soon.

Pulp Radio Halloween: The Shadow - The Immortal Murderer

Using a radio script of a lost Shadow episode, written by Alfred Bester of science fiction classics The Demolished Man and The Stars, My Destination fame, Razorfist and a host of Youtubers and fans have brought to life The Immortal Murderer once more.

In addition to sharing this because I am a huge Shadow and Razorfist fan, the former due to the latter, this radio play is also a serendipitous find as this episode is another example of how the hero pulps like the Shadow and Doc Savage influenced science fiction and fantasy prior to the 1977 Unweirding of the two genres.  Not only did Alfred Bester write radio plays for The Shadow, his award winning The Demolished Man was based on one of those radio scripts.  So when you leaf through the pulps for the roots of science fiction and fantasy, don't stop at Weird Tales, Amazing Stories, or Astounding Stories/Analog, take a look at Doc Savage and The Shadow.

Razorfist's HBO Effect

At 1:16 in the video, Razorfist describes what he calls the HBO Effect, where an artist relies more on pleasing the critics for success than the audience.  Predictably, sales slump.  Listen to the rantmaster to hear how Marvel embraced it to its detriment, but just not at work.  Then consider how TOR and other publishers have embraced it in SFF, to the same effect.

Deeper into THE SHADOW with Razörfist

An Introduction to the Shadow, by Raz0rfist