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San Diego Comic-Con 2012: Day Three

Saturday, July 14th, 2012

The panel was a smashing success.

We had a huge room filled to capacity (a very popular panel was following us), but the crowd, for whatever reason they were there, were captivated by a great panel and were extremely responsive.

Everyone on the panel did stellar work, but our grandmaster Kevin J. Anderson was wonderful — funny and informative. Bob Greenberger announced the awards with confidence and humor, and I couldn’t have been more pleased.

The format was fun and perhaps a little unusual, because we put the emphasis on our grandmaster by having each of our panel members ask him a question. A lot of back and forth about the craft of writing tie-ins and the current state of the trade followed.

I didn’t think we could top the Peter David panel last year, but we may have — or anyway did just as well.

My thanks to all.

M.A.C.

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San Diego Comic Con Sked

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

Barb, Nate, and I will be attending the Comic Con again this year (Nate’s fiancee, Abby, will be along again as well!). I will be doing brief daily updates with pics.

Here’s my schedule (two panels):

Thursday, July 12

5:00-6:00 First Comics: 30th Anniversary Extravaganza!—Legendary ’80s independent publishing powerhouse First Comics is rocking into San Diego with the assembled might of extraordinary comics creators Bill Willingham, Max Allan Collins, The Fillbach Brothers, Steve Stern, Dan Cote, and Larry Young. With giveaways, surprise guests, elephants, circus clowns, and more as befitting a 30th Anniversary-come celebrate with First! Moderated by Ken F. Levin. Room 23ABC

Friday, July 13

5:00-6:00 International Association of Media Tie-in Writers: Scribe Awards—Max Allan Collins (Mike Hammer), co-founder of the IAMTW, will announce the winners of this year’s Scribe Awards for excellence in tie-in writing. He will be joined by this year’s Grandmaster Award “Faust” winner, Kevin J. Anderson (Dune), Stacia Deutsch (Batman), Glenn Hauman (Star Trek), Jeff Mariotte (CSI), Deborah Lynn Smith (Dark Shadows), and Dayton Ward (Star Trek) for a freewheeling look at one of the most popular and yet underappreciated branches of the writing trade. Followed by a Q&A session. Room 23ABC

Check out the free download of my original radio play, “Mercy,” for Fangoria’s Dreadtime Stories, which puts a movie idea I’ve been noodling with one its feet. I love this story and I love the way it turned out. There are three other of my radio plays available there as well, but a cheap download fee. My buddy Carl Amari produced and directed.

Here’s a link to a video interview I did with Mr. Media. My first experience with Skype finds me looking like a drunken aardvark with a beanie propeller hat. Something must be done.

Here, of all things, is a fun review of one of the DARK ANGEL novels Matt Clemens and I wrote together (we had a blast doing those and feel the trio of novels represent some of our best collaborations).

Here’s another fun review, this one of LADY, GO DIE!

Turns out “A Long Time Dead” (a Mike Hammer story by Mickey and me) was indeed nominated for a Dagger. We did not, however, win.

See you later this week.

M.A.C.

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Nolan on Kindle!

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012

For the first time, the complete Nolan series is available on Kindle for $4.99 each. These are published by Perfect Crime, who offer them as trade paperbacks, as well. NOTE: The first two Nolans, BAIT MONEY and BLOOD MONEY, are available together on e-book (and real book) from Hard Case Crime.

Check out this terrific LADY, GO DIE! review, and a follow-up interview that I hope is interesting (I’ve done a lot of these in support of this book!)

Crimespree has a nice LADY, GO DIE! review as well.

And here’s a great review of MICKEY SPILLANE ON SCREEN from Ron Fortier. FYI: the prices have gone up at both Barnes and Noble and Amazon on line for this book, $39.95 and $45 respectively. Amazon has it from secondary sellers for just under thirty bucks.

As promised, here is the full list of awards from the International Mystery Writers’ Festival:

2012 ANGIE AWARD WINNERS

BEST MOVIE ACTRESS – Sabrina Segal
BEST MOVIE ACTOR – Eric Altheide
BEST MOVIE DETECTIVE – Todd Reynolds
BEST SCRIPT – Max Allan Collins for “Encore for Murder”
BEST FEATURED ACTOR – Richard Fish for Pat Chambers in “Encore for Murder”
BEST ACTOR – Gary Sandy for Mike Hammer in “Encore for Murder”
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS – Amy Walker for Rita Vance in “Encore for Murder”
BEST ACTRESS – Cassie Post for Ariel in “Lost at Sea”
FESTIVAL CREATOR – Zev Buffman
LORD OF MYSTERY – Max Allan Collins
BEST PRODUCTION – “Encore for Murder”


International Mystery Writer’s Festival 2012 photo spread:
Top Row (l t r): M.A.C., Roxi Witt (producer of event), Lee Goldberg, Bob Randisi | M.A.C., Barb | M.A.C.
2nd Row: M.A.C., Lee | Barb, Gary Sandy, M.A.C. | M.A.C., Gary
3rd Row: Roxi, M.A.C., Barb | M.A.C., Gary, Gary’s Mom, Barb | M.A.C., Bob

M.A.C.

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Complex Issues

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

This will be a somewhat brief Update, as I am immersed in working on the new Mike Hammer, COMPLEX 90. It’s a particularly tricky book because it includes a sequence about Hammer in Russia (referred to and essentially outlined in Mickey’s unfinished manuscript) that I am trying to bring on stage. The book takes place in 1964 and is, in part, a sequel to THE GIRL HUNTERS.

I am pleased to report that MICKEY SPILLANE ON SCREEN by Jim Traylor and has received a glowing review from Rod Lott at the web’s premiere review site, Bookgasm. Check this one out.

I’ve been astonished at how much coverage Hard Case Crime’s announcement of the new Jack and Maggie Starr mystery, SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT, has been stirring up. It indicates the PR genius of editor/publisher Charles Ardai. The book doesn’t even come out till next February, and my JFK Heller novel comes out this Fall, and it hasn’t had a whisper of fuss…even if all it does is solve the JFK assassination. But I’m delighted by all this advance coverage of SEDUCTION. I won’t provide links to all of the nice write-ups the announcement has received – I’m getting great reviews for the idea of this book! – but here’s a typical one from that pro Mel Odom.

We continue to get terrific LADY, GO DIE! reviews, and this one is one of my favorites. The review is from a slightly feminist POV, and I love the way the reviewer – and a number of other women who have given this book good reviews – struggle with the females in the novel, grasping that Spillane wrote very strong women and yet having to deal with those women tending to follow Hammer’s lead…plus Hammer calling them “doll,” “kitten” and so on. A while back a reviewer said nobody uses such terms any more. Well, those books take place in the past. On the other hand, I call my astonishingly beautiful blonde wife – in her sixties and looking about thirty-five – “doll” and “babe” all the time. Sue me. Anyway, read this smart, fun review.

We’ll close with a rarity – a fan reviewer who loves one of my Batman stories. It’s called “Robber’s Roost,” is about the Penguin, and is a prose short story. Also, full disclosure: I don’t remember a thing about it.

M.A.C.

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