Appearances « Friends/Family/Fans of Max Allan Collins

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.

Tags: Appearances, Awards, Comic-Con, Comic-Con 2012, Dreadtime Stories, Interviews, Lady Go Die, Mike Hammer, Reviews, Spillane
Posted in Message from M.A.C. | 1 Comment »

Can You Feel the Suspense

Thursday, June 14th, 2012

photo by Bryan Leazenby/Onsite Images

Last night Barb and I watched the last run-through of the radio-style play version of ENCORE FOR MURDER, wtih Gary Sandy making a terrific Mike Hammer and a wonderful supporting cast that includes Firesign Theater’s Phil Proctor in three, count ’em three, roles. If you are in driving distance of Owensboro, don’t miss it (tonight is the first of four performances). Nice write-up here.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/jun/14/can-you-feel-the-suspense/

M.A.C.

Tags: Appearances, Encore for Murder, Mike Hammer
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There’s a Podcast on the Loose!

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

Mickey Spillane, signed:
“Hi Max, a big hello to my hero!”

At the St. Louis Bouchercon, EQMM editor Janet Hutchings asked me to read for a podcast the Spillane/Collins story they published a while back, “There’s A Killer on the Loose!” Well, it’s available for free download now, right here:
http://eqmm.podomatic.com/entry/2012-06-01T05_36_55-07_00

Right now Barb and I are getting ready for the International Mystery Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky, later this week. Today I did a final edit on the script for the live presentation of “Encore for Murder” starring Gary Sandy as Mike Hammer (it will be presented a number of times, but the premiere is Thursday night. More info is available right here.

I’ve been encouraging you to pick up the new book by Jim Traylor and me, MICKEY SPILLANE ON SCREEN, at Barnes & Noble online, because of the great price. Well, now Amazon has it at a reduced price as well. Even on sale, this is an expensive book, but I swear it’s a good one, with great pictures and jammed full of information and informed opinion. If you like Mickey or me or especially both, you want to bite the bullet and send for this.

Here’s another positive review of LADY, GO DIE! that seems slightly ashamed of itself. Why reviewers can’t like this book without apology or a patronizing tone is beyond me. But I’m glad they like it. This one got picked up all over the place.

Here’s one more interview with me from the LADY, GO DIE! cyber tour. I know, I know – enough already. But it’s an interesting one, I think.

And here out of the past comes a positive review of a BATMAN short story I wrote some time in the previous century.

Finally, my son Nathan has been gradually upgrading this site. It’s very much a W.I.P., but you’ve probably noticed the cool new headers on the first page, and there are other new graphics here and there, as well as updated bios of me and my band Crusin’. He feels it’s premature to mention this, but I’m pleased with the progress he’s making and hope you’re noticing some of the changes and improvements.

M.A.C.

Tags: Appearances, Batman, Lady Go Die, Mickey Spillane on Screen, Mike Hammer, Readings, Reviews, Spillane
Posted in Message from M.A.C. | 1 Comment »

First Lord of Mystery—No Kidding

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

The International Mystery Writers Festival at Owensboro, Kentucky, has fast become one of the most popular events in the world of mystery fiction. My pal Lee Goldberg has been raving about it to me for several years, and I suspect his fine hand is at work in my having been invited to participate. In fact, I’m “The First Lord of Mystery” (previously honored mystery writers at the festival have been female), and will be doing all sorts of signings and workshops with Barb at my side. Most exciting, the first public performance of the Mike Hammer radio play “Encore for Murder” will be be presented opening night, Thursday June 14, with Gary Sandy as Hammer. Some of you may recall that Gary is one of the stars of my indie film “Mommy’s Day.” Involved in the production are several Firesign Theater luminaries. The festival is June 14 – 17 at the RiverPark Center in Owensboro, and you can read about it here.

The cyber press tour for LADY, GO DIE! continues to wind down, but an important stop along the way is Forbes.com, where a strong interview with me was given a lot of play, and picked up hither and yon.

That fine writer and good pal of mine, Ed Gorman, has lavished praised upon MICKEY SPILLANE ON SCREEN at his entertaining blog, the first review of that I’ve seen. Grab this from Barnes and Noble, who still have the best price (though it’s gone up a couple of bucks).

The second half of the Comic Geek interview appears here.

And yet another interview at Comic Attack.

Another blog by a guy named Ed is devoted to a perceptive review of I, THE JURY, the reviewer prompted by LADY, GO DIE! to go back to the beginning of the Hammer saga.

Here’s another one of those odd positive reviews of LADY, GO DIE! that seems apologetic for liking it.

Jon Jordan at Crimespree asked me to discuss the five books and five albums that changed my life. Check this out – it’s a refreshing change from all of these interviews I’ve been giving.

M.A.C.

Tags: Appearances, Encore for Murder, Interviews, Lady Go Die, Mickey Spillane on Screen, Mike Hammer, Reviews, Spillane
Posted in Message from M.A.C. | Comments Off on First Lord of Mystery—No Kidding

Posts Tagged ‘Appearances’

San Diego Comic Con Sked

Can You Feel the Suspense

There’s a Podcast on the Loose!

First Lord of Mystery—No Kidding