Toy Soldier Saturday: TIM-MEE CIVIL WARRIORS

Anybody out there fight the War Between the States with these little boogers? They're pretty crude compared to their Marx counterparts, but looks like they got the job done. 

More Toy Soldiers HERE.

Forgotten Books: THE PRIVATE EYE by Cleve F. Adams (1942)

The Private Eye is the eighth Adams novel I’ve featured so far in Forgotten Books, and some folks consider it his best. It’s pretty good, I admit, but I suspect some folks prefer it because they don’t care for his number one hero, Rex McBride. Me, I like McBride just fine, so I suffer from no such bias.

Still, as I said, it’s pretty dang good. And truth be told, there’s really very little difference between John J. Shannon, the hero of this one, and aforementioned Rex. Both are hot-tempered, sorely-tried Irishmen with patient but frustrating girlfriends and bitter enemies on the police force. The main difference is that Shannon was, until quite recently, a cop himself. At the urging of his lady love he’s now gone into business for himself, hence the title The Private Eye.

This book is one of Adams’ several homages to the best detective novel of all time, Hammett’s Red Harvest. So hey, no wonder it’s a pretty good read. Private Eye Shannon is lured to the tough mining town of Las Cruces, Arizona by a former girlfriend convinced her late husband’s suicide was actually a murder. Shannon soon finds himself caught in a war between two unscrupulous mine operators, with miscellaneous gangsters and corrupt cops thrown in to keep him hopping.

In a move even the Continental Op would have envied, Shannon puts the screws on all concerned by gaining control of both the local branch of the miners union and the town’s only newspaper.

As I’ve come to expect in Adams novels, there’s a semi-evil seductress trying to divert the hero’s attention for her own ends, a flunky he keeps around partly to make himself look smarter and a universe hell-bent on making his life difficult.

Like most of Adams’ novels, I suspect this one was at least partially cannibalized from his pulp stories. Can’t prove it yet, but the quest continues. Shannon appeared in at least two pulp stories, “Jigsaw” from Detective Fiction Weekly and “Mannequin for a Morgue” from Double Detective. I’m pretty sure he appeared in more than that, but can’t prove that either. Yet.

This book has the distinction of being in print as late as 1975, well over a decade later than other Adams novels. The reason, I suspect, is the ultra-generic title. But another factor might be (as I may have mentioned) that it's a pretty good book.

More Adams to come. And more Forgotten Books at pattinase.

"Old Skyball Paint" by Roy Rogers and the Statler Brothers

SHADOW COMICS 25, 26 & 27 (1943)

The first two dozen Shadow Comics are HERE.

Overlooked Films: The Cisco Kid and the Lady (1939) starring Cesar Romero

This was Cesar Romero's first (of six) rides in Cisco's saddle. He was pretty good, but my vote for the all-time coolest Cisco goes to Gilbert Roland. Others of interest in this film are Ward Bond and one-time Philip Marlowe (The Brasher Doubloon) George Montgomery.

Your weekly Overlooked Film round-up is at Sweet Freedom.

AHMM May 2014: Mr. Crockett and the Longrifle

My friend Davy is crowing about the fact his latest adventure is now playing in the shiny new May issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. The story is really about his great-great-great-great-great grandson, Tennessee State Representative David Crockett, but Old Davy is along for the ride, and in his mind he's the star. 

In this one, Rep. Crockett is a celebrity judge at a black powder shooting tournament, and having a tolerable good time until the reigning champ turns up dead - and the murder weapon appears to be Davy's legendary rifle Old Betsy. When Crockett's old friend (and major campaign contributor) is arrested, Davy insists Crockett be a hero and solve the crime. Mirth and mayhem ensue. 

On a scale of one to five stars, Davy gives it a seven. But then he would. 

The print edition is available at selected Barnes and Noble stores, and digital editions are offered by Amazon, Magzster, iTunes, Google Play and Barnes and Noble.

Comic Gallery: JOHN SEVERIN OUT WEST

 1957

1956

1956

More Severin Westerns HERE.

DAFFY DILL in "The Murderous Mr. Coon" by Richard Sale (Read it HERE!)

Here's the wrap-up to our nine day tribute to Daffy Dill, coming to you straight from March 20, 1937. Are you hooked yet? I am!