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.