Summer is always a time of anticipation: vacations, weekends, even just a few moments of relaxation out of the heat. What better way to anticipate summer joy than with things to look forward to and things in hand right now? Plant the beach umbrella, lay back, stretch out, and take a slow stroll through the creators offering you summer thrills, some even in their own words.
Stay frosty, be cool, and let your imaginations take flight like fireflies in the night!
Best Always!
Team Narazu
All Indie. All Awesome.
Film
by Leo Faierman
Summer draws near, strangely enough, where even here in Los Angeles these chilly evenings seem to counter the spring, to say nothing of the coldest February in 60 years. Surely all of this has nothing to do with the environment *drinks whiskey shaky-handed out of tumbler*.
Sorry, where was I? Ah yes, the beach read, that old lazy summer escape plan adjacent to salty waters. Relaxing by the ocean with a broad-brimmed hat and some nonsense in-hand. This month, we want to highlight those films that aren’t meant to be life-shattering artistic works of yawning genius, but damn enjoyable distractions all the same. Put on some sunblock and dig in.
The year is 1988. “No new taxes” drawls out the mouth of the soon-to-be president Bush and Robert Zemeckis’ masterpiece Who Framed Roger Rabbit would soon be busting into theaters, changing our treatment of on-screen animated reality forever. And here comes The Ice Pirates, a completely screwball, much-lower-budget send-up of Star Wars, featuring a team of space bounty hunters in a future where water’s scarcity prompts its emergence as non-fiat currency. These days, genre satires sometimes feel like they’re dime-a-dozen, and while certain 80s films are unintentionally hilarious in retrospect, The Ice Pirates is a true-blue parody film, a mere year after the release of Mel Brooks’ notorious Spaceballs. Yes, it’s dated. Yes, it has plenty of trashy special effects, a tumultuous campy style, and literally kicks off with a poop joke. But don’t you want to see Anjelica Huston bedecked in a Halloween costume seemingly built out of bent rakes, with a forehead tattoo right out of a county fair face-painting booth? What about TV-superstar Robert Urich and African-American co-lead Michael D. Roberts (exceedingly rare for an 80s sci-fi film, that), mugging for the camera like class clowns sneaking snide kinky jokes? The synth-laden soundtrack may better fit a pornographic film, and Ron Perlman’s (yes, OG Hellboy’s actually in this) accent was obviously dubbed out in post, but The Ice Pirates is one of those rare films I adored as a child (okay, I probably shouldn’t have watched it as a child, but that’s neither here nor there) that manages to hold up as an enjoyable romp, spitting in the face of its dreadful 8% Rotten Tomatoes rating. It’s deliciously campy, offensive yet imaginative fun, and is rich with social-media-ready GIF treatments begging to be discovered some day. This “space herpes” excerpt should be all you need to make a decision (complete with Perlman cracking up in the background), but you can watch it streaming on Amazon or purchase the Blu-ray (note that it is practically devoid of special features, sadly). Ignore those critics: it’s worth it.
Libyan-born filmmaker Don Coscarelli (of Phantasm series fame) is a veritable superhero of the independent horror circuit, and while his recent output has definitely slowed way, way down, the guy has a few tricks left. Back in 2012, he deigned to adapt David Wong’s (erroneously-ethnic pen-name of Jason Pargin, a detail actually referenced in the film) best-selling madcap horror novel John Dies At The End, roping in the steadily, sweatily talented Paul Giamatti to bring the stoner cult comedic summer read to the screen. Is JDATE good (okay, it’s definitely not the best acronym)? That’s a hard argument to have. Is it wall-to-wall watchable and entertaining, though? Hells yes. David and John are two midwest hobbyist paranormal investigators who stumble into a mysterious cult’s goings-on from a parallel universe, observable via a twisted, bizarre drug called “soy sauce.” A kind of hodgepodge project which is certainly uneven, John Dies At The End is an ultimately bold melange of Lovecraftian horror, stoner nonsense, supernatural thriller, and buddy picture, with the film swinging for the fences on personality and concept, managing to eke out a win. Coscarelli seems like he’s enjoying himself throughout, and the credits sequence in particular deserves special mention for its irreverently bullish anti-preparation for a sequel. You can stream JDATE on Hulu, or pick up a copy of DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon, either of which are less than $10 at time of writing.
Alex de la Iglesia Mendoza’s name is well-known in Spain, but much less mentioned here in the states, and one of his most deliriously whacked-out-yet-accessible experiments has to be 2013’s Las Brujas de Zugarramurdi (translated, wonderfully, as Witching & Bitching). A violent costumed daytime heist gone very wrong takes some bizarre turns and, one bloodied Spongebob outfit later, a hapless gang of crooks find themselves in the thrall of a coven of witches. And the movie’s barely even begun at this point! Witching & Bitching is a crazed example of the “more is more” style, with a hectic plot, lots of yelling and swearing and broken-hearted rants, and some absolutely dreadful parenting on display. De la Iglesia Mendoza has directed some English-language films as well, but this particular one is a perfect entry-point into his style, with a breakneck, over-caffeinated visual aesthetic that makes it an excellent choice for tempting any non-subtitle-reading friends you might have. Or, in other words: focused attention need not be applied. You can stream it on YouTube for $3.99, or pick up a disc version on Amazon for $13 or less.
Comics & Graphic Novels
Fresh off of Free Comic Book Day, my picks for summer reads were pulled from the various local comic book shops around New York City, some of which had small comic cons/celebrations to highlight the day. All of these comics are first-issues so we can all jump on this ride together as we go through summer having fun exploring fantastical worlds!
Creator/Writer – Bill Stoddard
Artist – Chris Royal
Colorist – Nimesh Morarji
Letterer – Luke Stone
Augmented is a near-future comic that takes the ex-con superpower trope and drops it into the world of ultimate fighting. In order to get out of jail, Marcus Chambers, a washed up MMA fighter, makes a deal with a corporate devil to heal and enhance him with cybernetic augmentation to become their sponsored fighter in the AFL (Augmented Fighters League.) Chambers was a phenomenal fighter before, now he’s a complete badass (unless he’s fighting his new boss who is quick to remind him of his place). On the face of it Augmented could come off as a hyper stylized riff on wrestling or ultimate fighting; instead creators Stoddard and Royal lowkey give us a fast-paced and interesting statement on professional sports and the twisted relationships between athletes and owners.
Evoluzione Publishing, 2018
Creator/Writer – Greg Anderson Elysee
Artist – Antonello Cosentino
Colorist – Francesco Montalbano
Letterer – Justin Birch
I’m way late to this party. Indie superstar Greg Anderson Elysee and Evoluzione Publishing launched Marassa through Kickstarter late last year. Known for his previous indie hit Is’ Nana The Were-Spider, Elysee moves from Earth-based mythology to turn his eye towards the heavens for a wild outer space romp. Marassa is a quirky and fun swashbuckling adventure. Mara, a retired space pirate turned princess, must return to the pirate life when her brother Sa pops up with a treasure map that belonged to their parents. Needless to say other space pirates and bounty hunters want her brother and the map. I love the look and feel of the universe that this book takes place in, a cool fusion of nature and technology, with a diverse cast of characters that use science and voodoo to make this strange and faraway land seem very familiar.
Books
By Clarence Young aka Zig Zag Claybourne
There are a few things better than sitting in cool air on a hot day with: tasty drink, your favorite shorts and raggedy tee, and a good book. However, they have to reach. There’s something about the quiet, taffy-stretch of time you get when reading a book while the world buzzes and sweats around you.
So allow me to stop blocking the air from your fan and present 3 creators with sweet words to look forward to.
(2 in their own words – bonus!)
Christa Carmen (written by Christa Carmen)
In August 2017, I found myself meandering through the dealer’s room at my first NecronomiCon in the great, weird city of Providence, Rhode Island. A beautiful black-and-white ink illustration of a woman walking along a deserted path, her head cocked strangely and the tentacle of some unearthly creature poking up from the pool of water on her left caught my eye, and I was overcome with the need to speak with this artist who could say so much with a single black-ink drawing while posing countless other questions with the very same print.
Dean Kuhta and I struck up a conversation, I purchased “She Was Swathed in Sorrow,” the illustration that had so struck my fancy, along with another gorgeous and enigmatic print entitled, “Windowpane,” and a few months later was polishing a short story entitled “Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge” to contribute to Issue #2 of Dean’s newly-resurrected, Lovecraft-inspired dark fiction magazine, Outpost 28 (read a review by Sci-fi & Scary here: https://www.scifiandscary.com/outpost-28-review/). It was working on this issue together that solidified our tremendously rewarding professional relationship, but it was a mutual love for storytelling aesthetics—be they in the form of a novel, short story, or visual art—that laid the foundation of our friendship.
Issue #2 led to Issue #3, and I have since become a regular contributor to Outpost 28, fifty percent of all proceeds for which go to helping the homeless in Richmond, Virginia. Additionally, Dean is the founder of Elvelon Press, an independent publishing shop also located in Richmond that specializes in dark fantasy and horror publications with an emphasis on the macabre and eldritch.
The latest Elvelon title is the second edition of Silvarum, an eight-part fantasy series that sees a group of plucky teens pursue the runestones of Nexxathia in order to defeat a foe first taken on by their parents and uncle when they were the teens’ age. The multi-generational narrative is propelled along by atmospheric prose, deftly-weaved suspense, and the most colorful cast of characters encountered in a fantasy novel in recent memory. I had the honor of writing the foreword to the second edition, and greatly anticipate the ensuing installments, leading up to an epic battle that makes Frodo’s struggle against Sauron’s legacy and Gollum’s teeth on the edge of the Cracks of Doom look like a mere dress rehearsal.
Issue #3 of Outpost 28 included my short story, “The Rest Will Be in Pieces,” also available to listen via Episode 373 of Tales to Terrify. Outpost 28 Issue #4 will be available summer 2019, and will include my flash fiction piece, “Shadows,” as well as stories by Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and other fabulous authors.
Check out Silvarum, Outpost 28, and other fabulous work by Dean Kuhta at www.deankuhta.com. You can visit me online at www.christacarmen.com, and thank you to Clarence Young and Narazu.com for the opportunity to talk about Elvelon Press!
(written by Monica Valentinelli)
Maia Strongheart stands alone against the world. A cabal of conspirators has framed her for the death of her own mother, the Sun Queen, and they intend to usurp the throne from her family. To prove her own innocence and reclaim her birthright, Maia must step into the Proving Grounds to complete a trial that will stretch her combat skills to the limit. Will the Wizened’s chosen daughter vanquish her foes in the arena? Or will she be overwhelmed by the conspirators and their evil aspirations?
If you’ve never played a solo game before, this is a great place to start. There is a training game and six different gameplay modules. Once you’ve learned the basics, add a single module or mix and match to your tastes. If you’re feeling truly adventurous, put them all together for a true test of your gladiatorial combat skills!
Proving Grounds is a unique title that’ll be released this summer from Renegade Game Studios. The release is a solo card game plus novella! I designed the fantasy world and wrote the novella titled: Only the Strongest Has the Heart of a Wizened Queen. You can pre-order Proving Grounds now from the Renegade Games store.
Gabino Iglesisas
Short stories are great for summer reading: quick, easy for traveling, yet can be savored with a cool drink as day slides into night too. A novel that reads like interconnected short stories? Best of both worlds! Iglesias’s Coyote Songs has been described as a ghost story/road adventure/coming of age/good versus evil novel that clearly doesn’t care about your notions of genre; it’s too busy burning its words in stone to bother with that. And by that I mean its intention is not just to scare you (it will), thrill you (it will), or make you smile and laugh (it will), but to rest in your hands and have a conversation with you.
You get a sense from the Amazon press write up of the journey you’ll undertake: In this mosaic horror/crime novel, ghosts and old gods guide the hands of those caught up in a violent struggle to save the soul of the American southwest. A man tasked with shuttling children over the border believes the Virgin Mary is guiding him towards final justice. A woman offers colonizer blood to the Mother of Chaos. A boy joins corpse destroyers to seek vengeance for the death of his father.These stories intertwine with those of a vengeful spirit and a hungry creature to paint a timely, compelling, pulpy portrait of revenge, family, and hope.“Call him the Barrio Palahniuk, a badass Henry Miller, Charles Willeford in Cholo-land—whatever the moniker, for my money Gabino Iglesias is one of the most fearless, original and riveting writers working today.” – Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight“Iglesias is a master of compact phrasing and perfectly paced suspense.” – Los Angeles Review of Books