SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:45 Min.
It’s the second track off Coldplay’s 2014 album, Ghost Stories.
REVIEW:
Coldplay delivers an ideal slice of smooth rock, as this tune makes for some great repetitive listening. “Magic” is definitely recommended for any soft rock playlists.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:35 Min.
Concluding the 1985 film soundtrack, British conductor/composer Andrew Powell (with some help from Alan Parsons) provides this upbeat instrumental. Intentionally more radio-friendly, it’s a reprise from the end title. The tune earlier narrates the rogue knight Etienne of Navarre’s (Rutger Hauer) horseback pursuit of a fugitive small-time thief, Philippe Gaston (Matthew Broderick), to recruit him for a daunting mission. Its symphonic sound is provided by New Philamornia Orchestra London.
REVIEW:
This pulsating instrumental isn’t something John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith would have conjured up – there’s nothing medieval about it whatsoever. Yet, ironically, its presence as a total anachronism works to the theme’s advantage. Andrew Powell, as intended, creates an excitingly up-tempo piece that generates curiosity in seeing Ladyhawke. As with the main title, the track’s contemporary synthesizer-like sound (including some terrific electric guitar) makes this entertaining instrumental a mid-80’s gem.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
Written by Agatha Christie
SUMMARY:
First published in 1936, this 249-page William Morrow/HarperCollins paperback reprint was released in 2011. In London, a chance meeting prompts Hercule Poirot’s bigger-than-life social acquaintance, a Mr. Shaitana, to gleefully invite the Belgian detective to his lavish flat for dinner, drinks, and possibly murder.
At this peculiar supper party, the flamboyant Shaitana’s guest list includes Colonel Race of the British Secret Service, Scotland Yard’s Superintendent Battle, and mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver. Evidently attending for their own private reasons, Shaitana’s other quartet of guests consists of: pompous physician Dr. Geoffrey Roberts; sharp-witted widow Mrs. Lorrimer; meekly young companion Anne Meredith; and dashing explorer Major Despard. Before the night is over, as each quartet of guests play bridge in adjacent rooms, their Mephistophelian-like host is discovered stabbed to death.
Loosely working as a team, Christie’s detectives deploy their own special methods to ferret out the enigmatic culprit, who may not settle for one victim. The question remains: which of the fellow guests did their late host evidently bait like a hungry tiger?
Notes: Poirot & Race also team up in Death on the Nile. In addition to early appearances working with Parker Pyne, Ariadne Oliver appears in several subsequent Poirot mysteries: Mrs. McGinty’s Dead; Dead Man’s Folly; Third Girl; Hallowe’en Party; and Elephants Can Remember. Along with Ariadne Oliver, Despard and his wife later resurface in The Pale Horse.
REVIEW:
Despite Christie’s propensity for crossovers recycling her supporting cast, Cards on the Table is the sole team-up co-starring four of Christie’s signature headliners. The absence of Miss Marple, Harley Quin, and/or Tommy & Tuppence Beresford is regrettable; even so, Christie’s fans won’t be disappointed.
At a minimum (presumably, it was Christie’s intent), Cards on the Table may well spark renewed interest in Ariadne Oliver, or, for that matter, exploring Battle and Race’s own solo cases – many of which date back to the 1920’s. That aside, amongst Christie’s vast repertoire, Cards on the Table is a delight to read!
While the bridge-related jargon might bewilder non-players (of which this reviewer readily confesses to), this factor doesn’t impact the mystery’s entertainment value much. Instead, one should think of such references as an analogy to the investigation: how one plays his/her cards on or off the table reveals plenty about the player’s mentality. Not only is the primary crime audaciously intriguing, readers tag along to probe at least four other crimes hidden deep in the past.
In that sense, the concept predates Christie’s grim And Then There Were None, in terms of bringing belated justice home to some unrepentant sinners. Make no mistake, though: Cards on the Table is a breezy caper, as compared to the dark-and-stormy-night that And Then There Were None is. Shaitana’s devilish charisma, for instance, is more attuned to a wacky Batman villain, as far as this plot’s undercurrent of macabre humor goes.
One also should ponder the judgment of Shaitana’s uneasy guests, as none of them actually like their weird host. Short of scoring a free meal, why would these eight invitees come to his home, let alone even associate with this creep? Suffice to say, it’s one baffling puzzle Christie may well leave unsolved.
There’s really no ingenious ‘Ah-ha!’ to be found in Cards on the Table. In other words, Christie just wants fans to have some fun, much like how her foreword notes Poirot has a good time tackling this case. As a casual read, this Poirot mystery delivers the necessary goods (for instance, there’s few racist overtones, as compared to some of Christie’s notorious works).
David Suchet’s 2005 TV film version casts a wickedly perfect Shaitana in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Alexander Siddig. Otherwise, Suchet’s loose adaptation is a head-shaking misfire. An excess of glossy style is substituted in for reliable substance, as sensationalistic changes are made to sex up Christie’s plot. This reviewer instead recommends Neil Simon’s playfully outlandish Murder By Death. Despite its risqué humor, this all-star 1976 mystery-comedy spoof (including James Coco as its Poirot stand-in) pushes the detective dinner party-and-a-murder concept to the limit.
Note: Another Poirot curiosity is 1927’s The Big Four, as Captain Hastings rejoins his best friend for a globe-trotting, comic strip action-adventure melding Sherlock Holmes with James Bond. Pre-dating Ian Fleming’s style, Christie’s ludicrous plot scores few reality points, let alone expresses sensitivity towards racial caricatures. Exploring Christie’s equivalents to Fu Manchu, Professor Moriarty, and even SMERSH/SPECTRE decades before the James Bond movie franchise, however, offers some fun in her one experiment with Poirot pulp fiction.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
Christie includes a brief foreword and a table of contents. For visual aid purposes, the four suspects’ tabulated bridge scores appear on pages 44-45. The first page is the author bio. There’s multiple ads listing the publisher’s available Christie titles.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars
Written by Loren D. Estleman
SUMMARY:
Bantam Books released the original 231-page hardcover in 1988. Told partially out of sequence, Bloody Season is a fictionalized retelling of events surrounding the fateful shootout in Tombstone, Arizona the afternoon of October 26, 1881. Popularly dubbed ‘The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,’ personal elements from the participants’ lives, their spouses, and relevant associates are threaded into the narrative.
Part 1: “Fly’s Alley” depicts the day of the fatal showdown. Subsequently, the fallout leads to the Earp Brothers (Wyatt, Virgil, & Morgan) and ‘Doc’ John Holliday facing legal consequences in a Tombstone courtroom. Part 2 is “The Transaction,” goes back several months to an attempted stagecoach robbery and a double-murder. Not only are at least three of the Clanton gang’s associates implicated, so is Holliday, in this botched hold-up. Wyatt’s shady deal with informant Ike Clanton to capture the killers ultimately blows up in both of their faces. This section comes full circle to the morning of the shootout, as “Fly’s Alley” sequentially occurs next.
Part 3 is “San Pedro,” as the controversial acquittal of Holliday and the Earps sets in motion a deadly game of retribution. The near-assassination of Virgil and later Morgan’s brutal homicide precipitates the climatic Part Four: “The Pallbearers.” Despite Sheriff Johnny Behan’s motley posse threatening pursuit, Wyatt leads his ‘vendetta ride’ targeting the Clantons and their outlaw associates, including “Curly” Bill Brocius and enigmatic John Ringo. The book concludes the saga with historic details about the later lives and fates of the various survivors.
Notes: This title is available in both hardcover and paperback editions. As an advisory, Estleman’s raw dialogue includes two recurring racial slurs (the ‘n-word’ is one of them) – suffice to say, these slurs don’t improve his storytelling.
REVIEW:
Make no mistake: Loren D. Estleman pitches this ultra-familiar tale as high-caliber historical fiction rather than rehashed Old West pulp. Unlike the Hollywood romanticism that films like Tombstone and Wyatt Earp convey, Bloody Season doesn’t glamorize anything — it spells out dirty frontier machismo. Estleman’s intriguing prose describes various shootouts, ambushes, etc. in near-poetic fashion vs. mere shoot-em-up recreations. As with Virgil Earp’s near-murder, readers might pause before realizing what has now just transpired. Once the author pours on the grisly medical jargon, the imagery becomes cringe-worthy at times.
Besides the port-mortem sequences, this aspect is best found in Estleman’s talent for conjuring up vivid sensory details – as author Elmore Leonard’s appraisal aptly puts it: “you’re there. It’s so real that you can even smell the horses!” Working off a palate of various shades of gray, Estleman’s grittiness surpasses the genre standards of Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour. Yet, reminiscent of Larry McMurtry’s knack for storytelling depth, he also ensures that correct history meshes well with entertainment value.
Case in point: there’s seemingly insignificant dialogue about a calico bonnet vs. a lace bonnet from Virgil Earp’s wife, Allie, in the minutes after his near-assassination in December 1881. Though she likely didn’t make this statement at that exact time, it corresponds with her reminiscences about an argument she once had with Virgil, as quoted in Frank Waters’ The Earp Brothers of Tombstone. Hence, as acknowledged in his post-script, Estleman makes an effort at plausibly honoring the known speech patterns/statements of these historical figures. His narrative also wisely sticks to focused plotting vs. delving into too much detail re: local politics and name-dropping too many cronies.
As he does in Tombstone and Wyatt Earp, ‘Doc’ Holliday’s cantankerous presence predictably steals the show. It’s no wonder why Estleman saves revealing Holliday’s destiny for last in the finale. As for Wyatt Earp, Estleman’s semi-generic take isn’t that of a stalwart legend-in-the-making. Instead, Estleman’s Wyatt comes off, like Virgil and Morgan, as all too believably mortal, in spite of his fearlessly superhuman luck.
Estleman further incorporates biographical depth for his expansive cast, including ‘Big Nose’ Kate Fisher, Josephine ‘Sadie’ Marcus, and John Ringo, fleshing them out as people vs. shallow-as-cardboard supporting players. Hence, the Earp wives and Kate Fisher receive their just due as the long-suffering heart and backbone of the Earp-Holliday faction.
Ultimately, the author’s due diligence matters; it’s what really makes Bloody Season a satisfying read. Aside from some nasty dialogue, it’s an ideal compromise between the history section and Westerns at the bookstore.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
Included in Chapter 20 is a glimpse at present-day Tombstone, as if it’s haunted by legend. It isn’t lost on Estleman how the town, in search of the almighty tourist dollar, shamelessly thrives on its old infamy. Estleman’s 1986 post-script is insightful, as he acknowledges that his novel is indeed “fiction based on fact.” Further,he makes clear that Bloody Season isn’t meant as hero worship; rather, he calls it an effort to reach the Old West that Wyatt Earp and his contemporaries inhabited.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
Written by (See Below)
Art by (See Below)
Cover Art by John Romita
SUMMARY:
For Spider-Man’s 30th Anniversary, Marvel Comics released this 80-page issue for August 1992.
“J. Jonah Jameson: How I Created Spider-Man!” (10 Pages). Written by David Michelinie, with Art by: Aaron Lopresti; Dave Sharpe; & Kevin Tinsley. Tape-recording his thoughts, J. Jonah Jameson ruefully deduces facts in Spider-Man’s origin without realizing the wall-crawler’s secret identity.
“Mary Jane: I Remember Gwen” (8 pages). Written by Stan Lee & Tom DeFalco, with Art by: John Romita; Chris Eliopoulos; & Joe Rosas. Awaiting her husband’s return, Mary Jane Watson-Parker wistfully recalls Spider-Man’s role in the tragedies of her late friend, Gwen Stacy, and Stacy’s policeman father.
“The Prowler: A Friend in Need” (8 pages). Written by Tom DeFalco, with Art by: Tod Smith; Andrew Pepoy; Jon Babcock; & Kevin Tinsley. Missing his workaholic wife, the Prowler spends his evening out tangling with saboteurs-for-hire until he chances upon a suicidal construction worker.
Note: This story precedes Prowler’s return in Spectacular Spider-Man Annual # 12 and his own solo mini-series in 1993.
REVIEW:
In this instance, Marvel delivers a dynamite Spider-celebration. Including a cool hologram homage to Spider-Man’s first cover appearance, Amazing Spider-Man # 365 is well-played in every facet. While the Lizard storyline is standard-issue (including some terrific artwork), the set-up into one of the franchise’s best-known soap opera gimmicks has ‘stay tuned!’ written all over it. The additional segments are all solid material, including the sneak peek at Spidey’s 2099 spin-off.
Of the 30th Anniversary issues across 1992’s Spider-titles, Amazing Spider-Man # 365 is easily the best find among them.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There’s a single-page “The Spider’s Web” letters-and-answers column. From the creative team of writer Peter David and artists Rick Leonardi & Al Williamson, there’s a five-page preview of Spider-Man 2099 # 1 – the first of Marvel’s 2099 (or “Futureverse”) franchise.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars
Written by Roger Stern
Art by Tom DeFalco; Ron Frenz; Brett Breeding; Joe Rosen; & Glynis Wein
Cover Art by Ron Frenz & Klaus Janson
SUMMARY:
First released in January 1984, Earth desperately awaits word of the fate re: its missing heroes abducted for Marvel’s original Secret Wars. Continuing from Secret Wars # 12’s wrap-up, Spider-Man and a powerless Dr. Curt Connors/Lizard (soon followed by the Avengers in a brief cameo) finally return home to New York City from the mysterious Battleworld.
Sporting his mysteriously new black-and-white costume, Spider-Man is seemingly unrecognized. Missing his girlfriend Black Cat’s visit by mere moments, Peter Parker busily tries resuming his normal life. Amidst web-swinging action, a revitalized Spider-Man continues to discover the unpredictable ‘magic’ of his new outfit.
Note: This copy is a 2000 reprint included with a Marvel Legends action figure.
REVIEW:
Emboldened by the cool new threads, Spider-Man’s world seems fresh again in this blast revisiting the mid-80’s. For Spider-fans, it’s an uncomplicated treat to read! Even better yet, Marvel’s production qualities reprinting this iconic issue are virtually flawless.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
None.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
Written by Louise Simonson
Art by Mary Wilshire; Pat Redding; Janice Chiang; & Bob Sharen
Cover Art by Mary Wilshire & John Romita
SUMMARY:
Entitled “Fun ‘N’ Games,” Marvel Comics introduces villainous Alistair Smythe in this 48-page annual released in 1985. Neglecting Mary Jane once too often, an oblivious Peter Parker’s gloating about his latest Spider-exploits only puts their romance on the outs even further. Meanwhile, the late Spencer Smythe’s diminutive son is fired by “Kingpin” Wilson Fisk as his basement-dwelling techno-genius.
Deeming his ex-boss too soft on their shared enemy, bumbling geek/man-child Alistair seeks vengeance on his ‘Daddy’s’ behalf. It’s revealed that a Smythe tracking device is hidden on a woman’s hat that Spider-Man has recently obtained from Fisk as a gift for his Aunt May.
When Mary Jane’s Aunt Anna borrows May’s new hat, Smythe’s flying Spider-Slayer abducts Anna & Mary Jane from a restaurant to force Spider-Man into action. Gullibly half-convinced that Mary Jane must be Spider-Man — due to a gender-concealing exo-suit gifted by some intergalactic aliens, no less, the hapless Alistair falls for her ongoing, making-it-up-as-she goes diversion egging on his delusional scheme. To rescue the captives, it’s up to the real Spidey to play catch up across New York City for a score-settling showdown.
REVIEW:
Might Mary Jane Watson (in What If?-like fashion) be filling in as Spider-Man? No, this silly caper falls far short of living up to the intriguing (and well-produced) cover image. Way overlong, “Fun ‘N’ Games” doesn’t expand/explore Mary Jane’s character in any meaningful sense in spite of her starring role. Pitching a variation of the ‘damsel-in-distress’ super-cliché, the future Mrs. Spider-Man is relegated to toying with a pathetic, internet troll-like schlub for a foe.
Alistair Smythe’s revenge-minded 1990s cartoon counterpart later proves a far more credible threat than his ridiculous, pot-bellied goof incarnation here. Understandably, writer Louise Simonson plays her comedy-of-errors for laughs, but a little goes a long way vs. dragging Alistair’s moronic shenanigans out for a whopping 48 pages. Had she devised “Fun ‘N’ Games” as Mary Jane’s weird dream as a single-issue stop-gap between storylines, that would have sufficed – either way, Simonson’s plotting this time is quickly forgettable.
Wasting some occasionally nice panels of Mary Jane, the cartoony visuals are mostly just pedestrian stuff. In that sense, the wacky story and artwork, at least, are in alignment with one another. Even if Amazing Spider-Man Annual # 19 doesn’t age well, it’s sufficient entertainment to share with undemanding, pre-teen Spider-fans.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The inside back cover is split-page between Marvel writer Bob Layton takes tongue-in-cheek potshots at Editor Jim Shooter in the “Bullpen Bulletins” column and Marvel’s monthly issue checklist.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
Written by J.M. DeMatteis
Art by Pablo Raimondi; Jose Marzan, Jr; Bill Oakley; Glenn Whitmore; & Wildstorm FX
Cover Art by Terry Dodson; Mark Farmer; & Ian Hannin
SUMMARY:
Entitled “Getting Away From It All,” DC Comics released this issue for May 2000. A brooding Man of Steel advises his closest Super-associates to watch the proverbial fort (especially Metropolis) until he returns from a personal mission. In a desperate effort to reconnect with Lois and possibly save their marriage, Superman arranges a cosmic road trip to privately vacation together on planet Sanctus Twelve. Despite his best efforts (i.e. saving her life) on this strangely idyllic paradise, Superman is baffled why Lois remains aloof towards him.
Meanwhile, back in Metropolis, Lex Luthor coolly flips a power play by the city’s irate coalition of business and political power brokers against him. The city doesn’t belong to them; it belongs to him! Cameos include Supergirl; Steel (John Henry Irons); Superboy; & the Martian Manhunter.
REVIEW:
Consistent with its cover image, this issue deserves a single read before moving on to something else … preferably entertaining. While exploring tension in DC’s super-marriage has intriguing potential, Issue # 578 limps along to the Man of Steel’s best intentions to impress/placate his shrugging wife. As for the highlights, there is the Martian Manhunter’s mildly amusing scene giving the ‘keys’ to the Kents’ psionic starship, along with a twist re: Sanctus Twelve come the end.
Visually, the artwork is sufficient, but it doesn’t surpass the blah plotting. Adventures of Superman # 578 is more for die-hards, but the material is at least appropriate for pre-teens.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The last page is a “Kryptograms” letters-and-answers column, which includes a thumbnail cover reveal for Man of Steel # 100.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
