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I think that if marvel or DC got their core titles down to 15 or so, and reigned in their crossovers and tie ins, they would get more people who would collect them all.

I remember Marvel doing that around the late 90s. They cancelled loads of X-titles (including Excalibur and Mutant X, both of which I loved) and streamlined their whole output. But, over time, the number of titles has built up again...

I think it's necessary to do this. The continuity is ridiculous with these characters. But it all seems like a moot point unless they start with origin stories again.   

Just started Anno Frankenstein which is a great read -a sort of steampunk world where Britain faces off with the dastardly Nazis and their undead soldiers.

Hah! Who's the author? Sounds quite Abaddon Books...

I'd like to introduce you to Mr Dave Groves, dearest boarders. Dave's the host of a new regular feature over at my weblog, TATTOOED TYPE.

http://waynesimmons.org/blog/?p=570

FLU is now available on Kindle!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flu-ebook/dp/B0057WVQWM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=A3TVV12T0I6NSM&qid=1308957898&sr=1-2

I'm Spam-Spam-Spamming my own thread!

Heartwarming review of my apoc-shocker, DROP DEAD GORGEOUS. 'It's dark, unrestrained, vicious, broken-hearted, dangerously beautiful, and it's got a foul mouth' says the lovely Sarah Elliot of Bewitched, Bothered & Bespectacled. Thanks, Sarah!

http://sarahxxlouise.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/book-review-drop-dead-gorgeous-wayne-simmons/

I thought Flu had an echo of that 80s style page-turner pace, mr simmons. And that's the last bit of bum-suckery you get from me til i at least receive a signed copy of Drop Dead Gorgeous!
SBT

Well that's what I was aiming for... Hell, it's all I know! 80s horror made me the man I am today

(oh and thanks, man. Bum-suckery always appreciated). 

Beast House! That's the one- and i remember The Cellar as being utterly disturbing, and very, very nasty.
SBT

It is indeed. There's one of his called Endless Night that even I think may go 'too far' at times.

I read a lot of Laymon in my teens and as someone said, they can merge into one but Endless Night is as clear in my head now as the first time I read it. Seriously disturbed stuff but so relentlessly paced that you just can't bring yourself to stop. I read it in one sitting.

I love that pacey stuff. Shaun Hutson has that quality too: the 'okay, one more chapter' kind of draw that keeps you motoring way past sleepy-sleep time Can't beat a bit of that!

Wow, that's very kind of you, Rich!

Not at all! I have one eye on clearing some shelf space!

Should be over in NI sometime the middle of next month...

What say I relieve you of all that pulp horror, Rich, in exchange for a pint or two at a local tavern of your choice!

Wayne, I've got a number of them here in HB, if you're still looking for some of them next time we're in the same location, you can have them.

Wow, that's very kind of you, Rich!

Was he just not distributed in the uk back then? 

I think he's fairly widely distributed now in the UK (can't remember the publisher - but they're pretty big). Oddly, Laymon was only published in the US in later years (maybe even after his death?) by the ailing Dorchester; under their Leisure imprint.

Yeah- he really is your classic example of an overlooked talent. He's easily up there with the best of them.

Excellent! You boys are really selling this guy to me. He's just moved up the pile to next-on-the-list

I started it aaaaages ago, wayne, but gave up after about thirty pages. Possibly though, i was suffering zomboverload, after seven or eight on the trot. I remember thinking it was quite bland, in comparison to some i'd read recently. Willing to give it another go, as fellow zom-heads have said good things. We'll see. How's Fever coming on?
SBT

It's going grand, thanks for asking! Visited a laboratory over the weekend as research for it. It's due in for August 1st, which should be okay; I'm about halfway through the 3rd draft.

Reading-wise, I'm digging into a lot of Shaun Hutson at the moment. Reading Purity at the moment and really enjoying it. It's the most character-driven and moderately paced of his work that I've read thus-far.

I'm hearing a lot of good things about the late Richard Laymon and so picked up one of his (delightfully titled BEWARE!) which I'm very much looking forward to checking out. Ironically, I've become a little disenfranchised with comtemporary horror and seem to be reaching for books from the 80s/ 90s. Maybe it's a comfort thing; those were my formative years in terms of getting into horror books. But I'm loving what I've discovered/ rediscovered so far.

I think my upcoming book schedule may be something like this: Finish Pushing Ice, A C Clarke's Ghost From The Grand Banks, Galactic North or Zima Blue, Revelation Space trilogy, Feed...

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Feed, dude. I've been hearing mixed reviews of it...

Never mind what *I* look like, what the hell's happened to the forum?!  It's got itself a new look!

Back by (un) popular demand! Today's DCS features another of my pulp horror reviews; a double-bill of Shaun Hutson's HEATHEN and HYBRID.

http://darkcentralstation.com/?p=1967

Just wrapped on THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE. Pretty decent thriller. Couldn't get on with the books at all but - so far - really enjoying the flicks. Bit of Scooby Doo action at the end, with the reveal, but overall a decent flick. Definitely worth a spin.

Oh, and on translation rights...

Dolmen Editorial have pencilled a September 2011 release for the Spanish translation of FLU. More details to follow.