No Silver and A Teen Love Interest: Hollywood's Odd '90s Vision for Silver Surfer

The unmade Silver Surfer film nixed the silver, gave the hero a teen sweetheart, and also featured...the Punisher? I take a look at the script this week at CBR.

WildStorm's Robotech Revival: A Clip Show in Space?

 

WildStorm's homage to the '80s anime classic alternates between dazzling battles and head‑scratching scripting decisions. I revisit the Jim Lee era of Robotech this week at CBR.

Fox Rejected a FAR Superior Version of This 20-Year-Old Marvel Film (Psst...It's Fantastic Four)

 

Did the 2000s nearly offer a DIFFERENT Beatlemania inspired movie starring Marvel's First Family? I look at future Daredevil showrunner Doug Petrie's Fantastic Four draft this week at CBR.

What Was the Final Nail for Nicolas Cage and Tim Burton's Superman?

 

A masked Superman. A robot suit. Lex Luthor's patriotic thong. This isn't fan fiction, it was almost a $100 million blockbuster. I review Dan Gilroy's script this week at CBR.

No Clever Title - I'm Doing YouTube Now

 

I've had a YouTube account for years but haven't done much with it. I've been tinkering with the format lately, attempting to assemble my various writings on the early development of the 1980s G.I. Joe relaunch into brief videos. There will also be clips from my audiobooks and some other concepts in the coming months...like, perhaps, a seven-part retrospective on a series starring more-than-six sovereigns cast adrift from their homelands. Feel free to check it out and spread the word.

G.I. Joe's Remix Of A 43-Year-Old Horror Classic

 

This horror-influenced G.I. Joe arc from the Devil's Due era was less "Yo Joe!" and more "Nope, nope, burn it with fire." I look back this week at CBR.

Housewife or Hellraiser? The Fantastic Four vs. Sue's Dark Side

 

One of John Byrne's more daring Fantastic Four comics received a surprising animated adaptation on a forgotten '90s show. I look at Malice's animated debut this week at CBR.

Nicolas Cage, Tim Burton, And Yet Another Shot At Killing Superman

I'm taking a look this week at Wesley Strick's scrapped 1997 Superman script...somehow both the best and worst Superman story I've read. Mostly the worst. Check it out at CBR.

Sex, Censorship, and Critics - The Story of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm offers more adult content than Saturday morning would allow, and a small revenge on a cranky critic. I look back at the development and reception this week at CBR.

Fun (And Forgettable?) - Superman Meets the ThunderCats

 

As the '80s nostalgia fad faded, Superman and the ThunderCats clashed in a 2003 crossover. Check out the latest Nostalgia Snake this week at CBR.

The '90s Silver Surfer Film That Almost Soared...The Greatest Comic Movie Never Made?

 

Decades before any "First Steps," Silver Surfer nearly starred in his own big-budget film. I review what's been called "The Greatest Comic Movie Never Made" this week at CBR.

Transformers/G.I. Joe: Dreamwave's Stylish, Chaotic Crossover

 

2003's Transformers/G.I. Joe was perhaps style over substance, but has its fans to this day. I revisit this week at CBR.

How Did Years of Comics Continuity Fit into Two X-Men: The Animated Series Episodes?

 

A continuity-rich adaptation during the final days of X-Men: The Animated Series required excessive streamlining to suit the average viewer. I take a look back this week at CBR.

Clobberin' on a Budget: The Nixed Fantastic Four Film with a Wisecracking Dr. Doom

 

Batman writer Sam Hamm presented a more comedic approach to the Fantastic Four, but his quippy Dr. Doom might've gone too far. I review this week at CBR...

Prequel to the Stars: WildStorm's Retro Robotech Revival

Jim Lee's WildStorm imprint offered an updated prequel to the classic Robotech anime...but has the story been forgotten? I revisit this week at CBR.

Evil-Lyn's Forgotten Origin and The Doomed Masters of the Universe Relaunch

 

The waning issues of a Masters of the Universe relaunch presented an intriguing take on the pasts of Evil-Lyn, Skeletor, and more. I revisit this week at CBR.

Very '80s, Very Scary, Chris Claremont's X-Men Movie Pitch

Chris Claremont's pitch for an X-Men film had some surprising choices...and far more Kitty Pryde than Wolverine. I explore his 1982 proposal this week at CBR.

Batman: The Animated Series' Dangling Plot Thread and its Nixed Resolution

 

A never-produced Batman: The Animated Series episode would've answered a lingering riddle. What is it? I'm guessing the answer is in my CBR article this week.

Too Violent? Too Sexy? Spider-Man's Conflicted 1980s Era

A newlywed Spider-Man and MJ faced sins of the past...and pushed a few of the era's boundaries. I revisit all this and the return of Sal Buscema and Peter David this week at CBR.

Battle of the Planets and Witchblade -- The Most Arbitrary Crossover of All-Time?

 

What happened when Top Cow crossed its flagship property over with its adaptation of a classic anime? I look back this week at CBR.

FREE Reads for the Holiday Weekend from Gene Kendall

Ever wished you could escape your ho-hum life and enter worlds of genre-defying adventure, experimental mystery, or dark humor, all for free? Well, wish no more – this holiday weekend, most of the digital editions of my books are being offered as limited–time freebies. Yes, exclusively on Amazon – may the name of our corporate overload be praised to the highest of heavens – you’ll find the digital editions of titles like Blind Cerulean, an ’80s-tinged thriller starring a snarky teen vigilante and her cranky mentor, and Efficient and Divine, a brutal tale of small-town murder and mayhem, all for free. Follow this link to receive your bounty.

 

It’s 1980, and the world’s greatest pulp artist just might be a murderer.

What isn’t for free, but still available at a very reasonable price, is the latest edition of the crime fiction anthology Crimeucopia, entitled Hey! Don't Read That! Read This! I have a short story entitled “Previous Times” featured in this issue. You can purchase the issue at this link.

P.S. I would greatly appreciate your feedback, so please feel free to leave a review. I’m told it appeases the almighty Amazon algorithm. Also, if you have a reader in your life, I’d also appreciate you forwarding the link to all of these freebies. The deal expires in a few days, so act accordingly.

Evil-Doers - A New and Free Gene Kendall Short Story

 

This week at my Substack...A short story inspired by mainstream America’s 2000s infatuation with the once tawdry world of comic books—and the rumors surrounding the original comic book art market. Could’ve been more scandalous, given the stories about mobsters laundering their money via original Batman pages, but who am I to invite trouble? 

Did a Forgotten Comic Inspire TWO Batman: The Animated Series Episodes?

The animated Scarecrow's best and worst appearances were foreshadowed in one 1987 comic book. At CBR, I revisit two Batman: The Animated Series episodes and a story from Mike Barr and Alan Davis that share some surprising similarities. 

The Masters of the Universe Relaunch that Brought Us More Prince Adam than He-Man

 

It's a new year, but I'm still up to my old nonsense. As the '80s revival fad cooled, a new He-Man title attempted to excite readers. I revisit the launch of 2004's Masters of the Universe ongoing series this week at CBR.