Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} TWISTED ENDINGS 2 5 ACTS OF VENGEANCE by Timothy D. McLendon TWISTED ENDINGS 2: 5 ACTS OF VENGEANCE by Timothy D. McLendon. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. What can I do to prevent this in the future? If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Cloudflare Ray ID: 658d1167e9bd8498 • Your IP : 188.246.226.140 • Performance & security by Cloudflare. Here Comes the Groom (20 page) Dan tossed the cell to the usher and grinned, his teeth very white against his tanned face. “You don’t get rid of me that easy…I’d have been here earlier but I missed a jump across a ditch and twisted my ankle. I had to hobble the last half mile. So—” he raised an eyebrow “—we getting married or what?” With a small cry, Jo flew down the aisle and hurled herself into his waiting arms, heedless of her dress. Only when she went to kiss him did he hold her away. “If you ever,” he said sternly, “ ever do anything as crazy as that again I’ll—” Jo closed the distance and pressed her mouth fervently to his. It was a kiss that tasted of river water and dust, a kiss that promised a future. “Shep, what the hell took you so long?” Ross said when they finally broke apart. “Incidentally, I couldn’t find Jo’s ring anywhere. I hope you have it.” She laughed. He hadn’t told her that. Maybe the Iceman had some cool in him after all. Draping an arm around her, Dan shook his head. “You’re fired, Coltrane. I need a best man I can trust. Lewis Davis, get up here.” In one of the front pews, Lewis stood up, shooting a nervous look at Ross, who winked at him. Lewis grinned. Beside him, Claire reached for a hanky. “Obviously we can’t get married now—not without a ring,” Jo said provocatively. Dan’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, ye of little faith. Your ring’s at the jewelers but I found this in the trash can outside. Thought it would be perfect, given our initial contract.” He reached in his pocket, then opened a dirty hand. A beer can tab glinted in the light streaming through the stained-glass window. Jo inspected it. “Perfect,” she agreed and turned toward the altar. Paused. “The chicken dance won’t really be playing at our reception, will it?” Dan grinned and offered his arm. “Let’s get married so you can find out.” HERE COMES THE GROOM. Copyright © 2011 by Karina Bliss. All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at [email protected] ® and TM are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries. 5 Terrifically Grim Gems Streaming on Shudder, and What's New for May 2020. Sometimes you want a horror film that's mean, heart-breaking, and devastating. Here are five great ones. The list of new arrivals to Shudder for April 2020 is below, but first, I’m going to celebrate five films currently available on the world’s best horror streaming service. I’ve previously highlighted some great horror/comedies there as well some some fun horror flicks from the 80s, but sometimes it’s not laughs and zaniness you want. Sometimes you want horror that’s actually gut-wrenching, and Shudder has you covered there too. To that end, I’ve looked through Shudder’s complete offerings and found five movies that are dark, devastating affairs guaranteed to satisfy those looking for grim thrills and confirmation that sometimes horror hits harder than nearly anything else. Even better? They’re also fantastic films… for those who can stomach the unrelenting bleakness. Angst (1983) Serial killer films, slashers, are an ubiquitous sub-genre in horror, and they come in an impressive variety of styles, effectiveness, locales, tones, and more. Most, though, are aiming to be fun and entertaining with some blend of plucky hero, cool killer, and fun set-pieces. Angst is something special as its primary goal — one it achieves — is to be as disturbing as possible. The killer is deranged and upsetting and never fun or cool. The set-pieces are unrelenting and suspenseful but never flashy. It’s beautifully shot, but it’s ugly as hell. It’s also unforgettable. In a Glass Cage (1986) Of the five movies on this short list, this ruthless tale from Spain is the hardest to love. It’s about a Nazi doctor prone to acts of evil and vileness who leaps to his death after violating yet another teenage boy. He survives, and years later a young man who witnessed his acts of barbarism returns in the guise of a nurse. Things get nasty, and not quite in the way most viewers will be expecting. It’s a film filled with misery, but it’s presented with an honesty and a surprising pathos that leaves it lingering in your head long after the credits end. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) The best known entry in Park Chan-wook’s so-called “revenge trilogy” is Oldboy (2003), while arguably the best of the trilogy period is Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005). Both films portray revenge through an extremely stylish and memorable lens, but what their predecessor lacks in creative visuals it more than makes up for in raw power. The film focuses on a young man named Ryu who’s both deaf and recently unemployed who turns to crime in the hopes of helping his dying sister secure a much-needed kidney transplant. Things turn ugly quick leading to an escalating series of bloody consequences. The Horseman (2008) It’s not often that I find myself doing a near 180 degree turn with my opinion on a film, but it happens. This Australian revenge/thriller is one such example as its unrelentingly grim approach to one father’s mission of vengeance left me cold and angry on first viewing. A re-watch, though, confirms that the darkness is exactly what this particular tale needs. Not every revenge tale needs to be a cathartic success story — and that’s not to say he fails exactly either. Grab a hard drink, tune out the distractions, and give this blast of pain a spin. The Treatment (2014) Mo Hayder writes dark thrillers about dogged cops and twisted killers, but sadly only one of them has been adapted for the screen so far. Happily, though, the results are absolutely stellar. The film follows a cop investigating the disappearance of a boy, and while the detective’s own past winds through the tale as well it’s the present day case — and its jaw-dropping, gut-wrenching denouement — that makes this an all-timer. It’s a slow burn of sorts, but if you give it your time and attention you’ll be rewarded with some beautifully crafted misery. Here’s what’s new to Shudder for May 2020: May 1st ANGST (1983; Directed by Gerald Kargl) When a psychopath is released from prison, he hunts for fresh victims to torture and kill. Ahead-of-his-time-director Gerald Kargl’s little-known study of a sadist at work is unrelenting in its depiction of depravity, anticipating HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, MAN BITES DOG and — thanks to Zbigniew Rybczyński’s disorienting camerawork — Gaspar Noe’s twisted films. Starring Erwin Leder, Robert Hunger-Buhler, Silvia Rabenreither. (Also available on Shudder Canada) BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON (2006; Directed by Scott Glosserman) In this clever mockumentary, a camera crew follows an aspiring slasher movie killer as he prepares to slaughter a group of teens. Leslie Vernon always dreamed of joining the ranks of Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger. But if he wants to become the next great psycho slasher, he’s got lots of preparation to do. Starring Robert Englund, Angela Goethals, Nathan Baesel, Kane Hodder. (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK) THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS, ep. 202 Proving once again that “the drive-in will never die,” iconic horror host and exploitation movie aficionado Joe Bob Briggs is back with an all-new season of weekly Friday night double features streaming live exclusively on Shudder. Over the course of ten episodes, The Last Drive-In series will offer an eclectic selection of movies running the gamut from horror classics to obscurities and foreign cult favorites along with the occasional surprise guest. A Shudder Original Series. Also on Shudder Canada; some episodes also available on demand on Shudder UK. SATAN’S SLAVE (1982; Directed by Sisworo Gautama Putra) While mourning the death of his mother, a troubled teen discovers a nightmare world of restless spirits, supernatural vengeance and occult terror. Starring Ruth Pelupessy, W.D. Mochtar. (Also available on Shudder Canada) Note: Joko Anwar’s 2018 Shudder Original SATAN’S SLAVES is a remake/prequel to this influential 1980 Indonesian horror classic. THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH (1971; Directed by Sergio Martino) An unfaithful diplomat’s wife finds herself hunted by a razor- wielding sex maniac while simultaneously haunted by her own depraved desires. Starring Edwige Fenech, George Hilton and Alberto de Mendoza. (Also available on Shudder Canada) May 4th CRAVE (2012; Directed by Charles de Lauzirika) Aiden craves a meaningful life where he can escape the hard streets of Detroit, fall in love with the perfect woman and save the world from evil. As his dark imagination starts to leak into reality, he meets a younger woman with her own dilemmas and desires. Estranged from her boyfriend, she explores an uncertain relationship with Aiden, who becomes increasingly emboldened to live out his vigilante fantasies. Starring Josh Lawson, Emma Lung, Edward Furlong, Ron Perlman. THE DYBBUK (1960; Directed by Sidney Lumet) The 1960 television adaptation of Sholom Ansky’s play about a woman possessed by a demon of mythical Jewish folklore. Starring Carol Lawrence, Theodore Bikel, Ludwig Donath, Vincent Gardenia. TENEBRAE (1982; Directed by Dario Argento) When acclaimed New York crime writer Peter Neal flies to Rome to promote his latest novel, Tenebrae, his publicity tour is cut short by a series of murders that come straight out of the pages of his book. In order to solve the mystery, they will need to look to Neal’s novel to find out who is the real killer before the killer finds them. TENEBRAE is based on director Dario Argento’s own experiences with an obsessed fan. Starring Anthony Franciosa, Giuliano Gemma, John Saxon. (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK) May 7th Z (2019; Directed by Brandon Christensen) Winner “Scariest Film” – Popcorn Frights Audience Award Winner – Calgary International Film Festival A couple is shaken to the core when their eight-year-old son begins hanging out with a creepy and ominous imaginary friend. Starring Keegan Connor Tracy (Bates Motel), Sean Rogerson (Grave Encounters), Jett Klyne (The Boy), Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries) and Stephen McHattie (Pontypool), Written by Brandon Christensen (Still/Born) and Colin Minihan (Urban Legend, Spiral) and directed by Brandon Christensen. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK) May 8th THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS, ep. 203. May 11th DEVIL’S MILE (2014; Directed by Joseph O’Brien) A gang of ex-convicts take a dangerous and ill-advised detour after brutally kidnapping two young girls. As the captors speed away, events quickly turn out to be much more dangerous and sinister than they could have ever imagined. Starring David Hayter, Amanda Joy, Maria del Mar. HELLRAISER (1987; Directed by Clive Barker) A puzzle box reveals a realm of sadistic monsters who torture Frank, the depraved man who unlocks it. Escaping their wrath, what remains of Frank hides out in his attic until a chance encounter leads him to enlist his brother’s wife, with whom he had a passionate affair, to lure victims home so he can feed off their blood. Starring Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence (Also available on Shudder Canada) HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II (1988; Directed by Tony Randel) In the sequel to HELLRAISER, an occult-obsessed doctor calls forth the Cenobites. After the events of the first film, Kirsty is brought to a psych ward where no one believes her story. No one, of course, except Dr. Channard, who resurrects Julia so she can take him to the Cenobites. But when the gates open, Kirsty’s also drawn into the labyrinthine hellscape where horrors wait around every turn. Starring Doug Bradley, Ashley Laurence, Clare Higgins (Also available on Shudder Canada) PARASOMNIA (2008; Directed by William Malone) Unable to wake due to a rare sleep disorder, Laura resides in a psychiatric hospital. When a manipulative serial killer begins to take a sinister interest, a student attempts to save the “sleeping beauty” from falling into the murderer’s clutches. Starring Jeffrey Combs, Timothy Bottoms, Sean Young, Patrick Kilpatrick, Dylan Purcell. May 14th MONSTRUM (2018; Directed by Huh Jong-jo) Audience Award Winner — Sitges International Film Festival It’s the 16th Century. The plague has taken over and fear runs rampant in the streets. When rumors of a vicious beast roaming Mount Inwangsan—called “Monstrum” by terrified masses—begin to spread, fear turns into panic. In order to quell the rising panic, King Jungjong brings his most trusted general, Yoon- gyeom, back from retirement. Joined by his daughter Myeong, his right-hand man Seong-han, and royal court officer Heo, Yoon-gyeom sets out to find the mysterious creature. Is the creature, Monstrum, real? Or a figment of the fearful mass’ imagination? Will the people ever live in peace again? Starring Woo-sik Choi (Parasite, Train to Busan), In-kwon Kim, Myung-Min Kim and Hyeri Lee, written by Heo-dam and Jong-ho Huh, and directed by Jong-Jo Huh. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK) May 15th THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS, ep. 204. May 18th THE DIRTIES (2013; Directed by Matt Johnson) Two best friends are filming a comedy about getting revenge on the bullies at their high school. One of them isn’t joking. Starring Matt Johnson, Owen Williams, Padraig Singal. GOODNIGHT MOMMY (2014; Directed by Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz) 9-year-old twin brothers await their mother’s return home. When she comes home, bandaged after cosmetic surgery, nothing is like before and the children start to doubt whether this woman is actually who she says she is. Starring Susanne Wuest, Lukas Schwarz, Elias Schwarz, Hans Escher. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (1997; Directed by Jim Gillespie) In this late 90s slasher gem, four friends cause a terrible accident killing a pedestrian. Scared and confused, they come to an uneasy decision to push the body off a pier. The four swear to take the secret to their graves, but that time may come a lot sooner than they think: A clever and vicious tormentor knows their secret and intends to make them pay for it. Starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe, Freddie Prinze Jr, Bridgette Wilson. May 21st BLOOD MACHINES (2019; Directed by Seth Ickerman) Winner Best Music, Best Sound Design & Best CG FX — Toronto After Dark Film Festival Two space hunters are tracking down a machine trying to free itself. After taking it down, they witness a mystical phenomenon: the ghost of a young woman pulls itself out of the machine, as if the spaceship had a soul. Trying to understand the nature of this entity, they start chasing the woman through space. Inspired by the spirit of the 80’s films and music, BLOOD MACHINES is a 50-minute, 3-part sci-fi horror mind melter told in three chapters, scored by the synthwave artist Carpenter Brut. Starring Elisa Lasowski, Anders Heinrichsen and Noémie Stevens, written and directed by Seth Ickerman. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL EXPERIENCE (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK) May 22nd THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS, ep. 205. May 25th TURBO KID (2015; Directed by RKSS) In a post-apocalyptic future, a young solitary scavenger obsessed with comic books must face his fears and become a reluctant hero when he meets a mysterious girl. Starring Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside. May 28th CONFESSIONAL (2019; Directed by Brad T. Gottfred) After two mysterious deaths at a college on the same night, seven students are blackmailed into revealing what they know inside a hidden confession booth. Their confessions unveil the truth—not just about the deaths, but about the confessional as well. Starring Marcus Scribner (Black-ish), Paris Berelc (Alexa & Katie), Vanessa Marano (The Dead Girls Detective Agency), Lucas Adams (Days of our Lives), Annalisa Cochrane (Cobra Kai), Jess Gabor (Shameless), Brandon Larracuente (Party of Five), Jake Short (A.N.T Farm) and Mia Xitlali (La Quinceañera). Written by Jennifer Wolfe and directed by Brad T. Gottfred. A Shudder Exclusive (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK) May 29th THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS, ep. 205. Failsafe Failure. Thanks to Finagle's Law (or just ignorant writers), on TV a system's failsafe will never work when it's needed the most, nor will it actually be fail safe — usually it'll be quite the opposite, sometimes referred to as "fail deadly". The only reference to an emergency shutdown you'll be likely to hear is a panicked tech yelling "It won't shut down!" as the system runs wild. It's supposed to make the phenomenon of Explosive Instrumentation more plausible, by acknowledging it's not supposed to blow up in your face, but a failure elsewhere of a key safety lockout means it can, and will . It also justifies how something that is supposedly governed by industry-wide standards, regulatory law, and years of engineering refinements could go so horribly wrong in the first place. What's a failsafe? Well, the world is full of a lot of dangerous machinery and devices. Huge electrical turbines and nuclear reactors, Power lines carrying enough juice to light a whole city and pipelines carrying millions of tons of explosive petroleum or natural gas. Trains speeding down the tracks at 300 km/h, semi trucks that weigh in excess of 40 tons rolling down the freeways, aircraft that weigh more than 400 tons flying over our heads. And that's just the stuff that isn't designed to kill anyone. There's plenty of stockpiled bombs, missiles and such out there too. These could all cause some spectacular collateral damage if they suddenly went out of control. Thus, in the real world, things that have the potential for very destructive damage not only undergo strict maintenance procedures, but usually have circuit breakers, password protection, arming/firing keys, backups for redundancy, and prominent big bright red emergency handles that can shut the whole system down if pulled. More to the point, they usually have a totally separate set of safety features, designed to trigger automatically when the system's operating parameters get too far outside safe norms, which will (ideally) shut down the whole shebang without making the situation worse than it already is. Contrary to popular understanding, "fail safe" does not mean "safe from failing", i.e. "failure-proof" — it means that if (when) it fails, it will do so in a way that leaves it safe. When something is described as "fail safe", it means that it has been designed and built so that a critical mechanical failure or operator mistake will cause the system in question to default to its safest possible state, quickly and automatically, without any human intervention. Consider the following: if you're at an intersection where there's a traffic light, and it fails, if it "fails safe" then either it goes dark or all four directions show a red signal. If it showed green in all four directions, that would be a failure to fail safe. For more info, see the Analysis page. Real Life Failsafe Failures are often caused by an improbable and unanticipated conjunction of two or more failure conditions (one of which will often turn out to have never worked in the first place). Compare the way Hollywood treats personal vehicles when the owner is always Driving Like Crazy or leaving his car in a state of neglect, In Hollywood a decrepit car that endangers its occupants and everyone around it is frequently treated as comedy, and all too often this same insouciance extends to things capable of inflicting serious damage should one lose control of them. There's usually No Plans, No Prototype, No Backup or Lock-out/Tag-out procedures, and the Big Red Button is frequently unguarded. Comic Book New Releases May 19. 1st printing. Collects The Amazing Spider-Man (1963-1998 1st Series) #326-329, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976-1998 1st Series) #158- 160, Web of Spider-Man (1985-1995 1st Series) #59-61 and 64-65, Wolverine (1988-2003 1st Series) #19-20, Alpha Flight (1983-1994 1st Series) #79-80, The New Mutants (1983-1991 1st Series) #86, The Uncanny X-Men (1963-2011 1st Series) #256-258 and material from X- Factor (1986-998 1st Series) #50. Cover by Todd McFarlane. Cover by John Byrne. Loki's villainous machinations pit Spider-Man and the X-Men against unfamiliar foes! Spidey has his hands full with powerful sparring partners like Graviton, Magneto and the terrifying Tri-Sentinel - but when a cosmic upgrade boosts his powers, the ruthless Doctor Doom puts the web-slinger in his crosshairs! Meanwhile, the X-Men take on the Mandarin - and Psylocke is transformed! Teeth meet claws when Wolverine battles Tiger Shark! Nitro and the Vulture target the New Mutants' Rusty and Skids! And it's tyrant vs. trickster when Apocalypse faces Loki! Plus: Alpha Flight tackles an unholy alliance of super villains - including Nekra, the Scorpion and the Owl! Softcover, 504 pages, full color. Rated T+ Written by David Michelinie, Gerry Conway, Archie Goodwin, James D. Hudnall, Louise Simonson, and Chris Claremont. Art by Todd McFarlane, Colleen Doran, Terry Shoemaker, Andy Mushynsky, Erik Larsen, Al Gordon, Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito, Alex Saviuk, Keith Williams, John Byrne, Klaus Janson, John Calimee, Mike Manley, Rob Liefeld, Bob Wiacek, Scott Williams, Joe Rubinstein, Hilary Barta, Al Milgrom, and Jim Lee. Cover price $44.99. Greg Land Cover. Volume 1 - 1st printing. Collects Aliens (1988 1st Printing) #1-6; Aliens (1989) 1st Printing #1-4; Aliens: Earth War (1990) #1-4; Aliens: Genocide (1991) #1-4; Aliens: Hive (1992) #1-4; Aliens Tribes HC (1992 Dark Horse); Aliens: Newts Tale (1992) #1-2; Alien 3 (2018 Dark Horse) #1-3; Aliens Colonial Marines (1993) #1-10, and material from Dark Horse Insider Vol. 1 (1989-1991) #14-27 and Dark Horse Presents (1986-2000) #24, 42-43, and 56 and Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special TPB (1991 Dark Horse). Cover by Greg Land. As Marvel prepares for a xenomorph invasion, rediscover the comic book legacy of ALIENS! Familiar faces star in tales that expand on the movie mythos! As Hicks and Newt undertake a dangerous mission to destroy the creatures' homeworld, a deadly outbreak leaves Earth overrun with aliens! Billionaire Daniel Grant sets his sights on an alien queen, and scientist Stanislaw Mayakovsky must retrieve the galaxy's most precious substance: alien royal jelly! But can even Earth's finest fighting force, the Colonial Marines, hold off the most frightening and relentless creatures in all of film? Hardcover, 8 1/2-in. x 11-in., 1,024 pages, full color. Written by Mark A. Nelson, Mark Verheiden, Paul Guinan, Anina Bennett, John Arcudi, Mike Richardson, Jerry Prosser, Steve Bissette, Steven Grant, and Dan Jolley. Art by Mark A. Nelson, Ron Randall, Denis Beauvais, Roger Casselman, Sam Keith, Denis Beauvais, Simon Bisley, Damon Willis, Karl Story, Kelley Jones, Dave Dorman, Jim Somerville, Brian Garvey, Christopher Taylor, Rick Magyar, Norman Felchle, Mark McKenna, Denis Rooier, Joe Phillips, John Dell, Tony Harris, Rick Hoberg, Ian Akin, Brandon McKinney, Karl Kesel, William Knapp, Robert Campanella, Dave Johnson, John Nadeau, Steve Moncuse, Billy Ray Marimon, Hoang Nguyen, Tony Akins, Paul Guinan, and John Nadeau. Cover price $125.00. Mark A. Nelson Cover. Volume 1 - 1st printing. Collects Aliens (1988 1st Printing) #1-6; Aliens (1989) 1st Printing #1-4; Aliens: Earth War (1990) #1-4; Aliens: Genocide (1991) #1-4; Aliens: Hive (1992) #1-4; Aliens Tribes HC (1992 Dark Horse); Aliens: Newts Tale (1992) #1-2; Alien 3 (2018 Dark Horse) #1-3; Aliens Colonial Marines (1993) #1-10, and material from Dark Horse Insider Vol. 1 (1989-1991) #14-27 and Dark Horse Presents (1986-2000) #24, 42-43, and 56 and Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special TPB (1991 Dark Horse). Cover by Mark A. Nelson. As Marvel prepares for a xenomorph invasion, rediscover the comic book legacy of ALIENS! Familiar faces star in tales that expand on the movie mythos! As Hicks and Newt undertake a dangerous mission to destroy the creatures' homeworld, a deadly outbreak leaves Earth overrun with aliens! Billionaire Daniel Grant sets his sights on an alien queen, and scientist Stanislaw Mayakovsky must retrieve the galaxy's most precious substance: alien royal jelly! But can even Earth's finest fighting force, the Colonial Marines, hold off the most frightening and relentless creatures in all of film? Hardcover, 8 1/2-in. x 11-in., 1,024 pages, full color. Written by Mark A. Nelson, Mark Verheiden, Paul Guinan, Anina Bennett, John Arcudi, Mike Richardson, Jerry Prosser, Steve Bissette, Steven Grant, and Dan Jolley. Art by Mark A. Nelson, Ron Randall, Denis Beauvais, Roger Casselman, Sam Keith, Denis Beauvais, Simon Bisley, Damon Willis, Karl Story, Kelley Jones, Dave Dorman, Jim Somerville, Brian Garvey, Christopher Taylor, Rick Magyar, Norman Felchle, Mark McKenna, Denis Rooier, Joe Phillips, John Dell, Tony Harris, Rick Hoberg, Ian Akin, Brandon McKinney, Karl Kesel, William Knapp, Robert Campanella, Dave Johnson, John Nadeau, Steve Moncuse, Billy Ray Marimon, Hoang Nguyen, Tony Akins, Paul Guinan, and John Nadeau. Cover price $125.00. 2nd and later printings (Includes Updated Material). "The 1950s: 1950-1959!" By Bill Schelly. New printing with text corrections, even better binding, and enhanced cover durability-so if you already own the first printing, you'll love this one even more! Bill Schelly authors the volume on the 1950s era of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, with a year-by-year account of the most significant publications, notable creators, and impactful trends, including: the rise of the great EC "New Trend" titles (Tales of the Crypt, Weird Science), Harvey Kurtzman's Mad, and Carl Barks' classic work on Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge! The re-tooling of the Flash in Showcase #4 that kicked off the Silver Age of Comics, and the introduction of DC's Martian Manhunter, Adam Strange and the new Green Lantern! Plus the return of the Timely heroes Captain America, the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner, and the birth of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's Fighting American and The Fly! Hardcover, 8-in. x 11-in., 240 pages, full color. Cover price $46.95. Volume 1 - 1st printing. The mysterious origins of Aang, the Avatar and last Airbender, are retold in the new Screen Comix format! Based on the epic Nickelodeon series, this first book reveals how Aang emerges from a hundred years frozen in an iceberg to find the world is very different from the one he once knew. With the help of a waterbender named Katara and her brother Sokka, Aang searches for teachers to help him master his skills and escape Prince Zuko in order to end the Fire Nation's war and bring balance to the world. Softcover, 6-in. x 8-in., 320 pages, full color. Cover price $14.99. 1st printing. Collects The Avengers (1963-1996 1st Series) #98-114 and Daredevil (1964-1998 1st Series) #99. Cover by John Romita, Sr. and John Costanza. Back Cover by Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema. Barry Windsor-Smith joins Roy Thomas for a three-part super-saga that assembles every Avenger from issue #1 to #100 against the combined threat of Ares and the Enchantress! Then, Steve Englehart takes the reins and begins his iconic tenure writing Earth's Mightiest Heroes with an excursion to the Savage Land, the return of the Black Panther, and the traitorous master plan of the Grim Reaper and the Space Phantom! Hawkeye quits the team just as Magneto arrives to battle the combined forces of the Avengers, the X-Men and Daredevil, Mantis makes her stunning first appearance, romance blooms between the Vision and Scarlet Witch, the Black Widow returns, and the Swordsman joins the Avengers' ranks! Softcover, 400 pages, full color. Rated T. NOTE : Book 6 of the Avengers Epic Collection - Years Covered: 1972-1973. Written by Roy Thomas, Chris Claremont, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber, Harlan Ellison, and Stan Lee. Art by Barry Windsor-Smith, Sal Buscema, Tom Sutton, Joe Sinnott, Syd Shores, Rich Buckler, Dan Adkins, Jim Mooney, George Tuska, Dave Cockrum, Jim Starlin, Don Heck, Frank McLaughlin, Mike Esposito, Frank Giacoia, Frank Rolle, Bob Brown, Sam Kweskin, and John Buscema. Cover price $39.99. Volume 12 - 1st printing. Story and art by Paru Itagaki. As a consequence of his savage battle with brown bear Riz, doors begin to close for gray wolf Legoshi, and he must strike out on his own. Temptation arises when he makes a new herbivore friend, Merino sheep Seven, who is being harassed at work by her carnivore colleagues. We finally meet the current valiant Beastar, horse Yahya, who shares a history with Legoshi's family. Like Legoshi and Louis, Yahya strives to make the world a better place-but do his ends justify his means? Then, both Louis and Legoshi must come to terms with their father figures. Softcover, 6-in. x 8-in., 208 pages, B&W. For readers ages 16 and up. Cover price $12.99. This item is not in stock. If you use the "Add to want list" tab to add this issue to your want list, we will email you when it becomes available. Standard Cover (Signed by Simon Bisley) Compiled with blood, sweat and thunder! Berserker opens the archives to look at Simon Bisley's career, with a special emphasis on sketches, doodles, and preliminary artwork. Get a great look behind the curtain at Simons Process! Including commissions, unpublished work, prelims, doodles and even some of the 2018 Kickstarter sketchbook rewards. The new sketchbook has 100 pages including cover, ink, Greyscale and full colour. Images in this sketchbook will have many previously unpublished work, including, Babes, Horror, Fantasy, 2000Ad, Turtles and many independent works. Softcover, 100 pages, PC/PB&W. Mature Readers. NOTE: "I hope you enjoy my latest collection of prelims and sketches. These drawings give you a good idea of the mechanics behind the eventual fruition of a final piece." - Simon Bisley. Cover price $40.00. Signed by Darick Robertson. Volume 4 - 1st printing. Collects The Boys (2006-2012) #39-47 and The Boys: Highland Laddie (2010 Dynamite) #1-6. Written by Garth Ennis. Art by John McCrea, Keith Burns, Russ Braun, and Darick Robertson. Cover by Darick Robertson. Signed by series artist and co-creator Darick Robertson! Available for a limited time at this special price-point! Includes both volumes 7 & 8 of this acclaimed series in one volume. So where are the real superheroes? The warriors for truth and justice, the defenders of the American way, the heroes who fight to make things right and ask for nothing in return? Hughie finds out when he meets the teenage adventurers known as SUPERDUPER. but unknown to the little Scotsman, Butcher has finally learned his secret. A dire scheme is set in motion, and at the vast superhero evangelist festival of BELIEVE, Hughie's relationship with Annie January - aka Starlight of the Seven - reaches its terrible conclusion. Next. a special story featuring everyone's favorite pint-sized Scotsman, Hughie. Mind reeling from cataclysmic events in New York, Wee Hughie heads home to Auchterladle - the semi-idyllic Scottish seaside town where he grew up. All Hughie wants is some time to himself, to return to the bosom of family and friends, and get his head together after two years of unimaginable chaos. But our hero's luck has always been more cloud than silver lining, and the familiar surroundings he craves are not all they might be. Old pals are warped beyond recognition, strangers in town are up to no good, and a figure from Hughie's recent past has come back to resolve some unfinished business. You can go home again - but whether or not you should is another matter entirely.