4-Color to 35-Millimeter: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez are back to co-direct another adaptation of Miller’s noir comic, but all it does is show up how incredibly repetitive the source material is, despite the best efforts of some good actors. The great superhero movie rewatch revisits Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

An excerpt:

The best story in the bunch is the last one, as it’s Nancy who actually is the protagonist. Jessica Alba does a good job with Nancy’s pain and frustration, and her combination of love and anger for the late Hartigan. (And it’s amusing to see Bruce Willis play another ghost fifteen years after The Sixth Sense.) It’s a rare case of Miller letting a woman have the lead bad-ass role, and she’s the one who gets to kill Roark.

Powers Boothe had the best scene in Sin City, beautifully delivering the senator’s colloquy on power, so it’s not surprising that the sequel decided to make better use of him. The two original tales both have Roark as the antagonist, and Boothe is more than up to the task.

gratuitous cover post

Been a while since I did one of these. Here are the covers to my 2018 and 2019 releases (at least those that have covers — at least two projects I’ve got that are coming out this year haven’t released their final covers into the wild yet):

 

Alien: Isolation:

 

Baker Street Irregulars: The Game is Afoot (with my story “Six Red Dragons”):

 

Batman: Quotes from Gotham City (compiled by me):

 

Brave New Girls: Adventures of Gals and Gizmos (with my story “The Silent Dust”):

 

Children of Time: The Companions of Doctor Who (with my essay on Tegan Jovanka):

 

Farscape Omnibus Volume 1 (collecting several comics I scripted and/or wrote):

 

Footprints in the Stars (with my story “Puzzle Box”):

 

A Furnace Sealed:

 

Mermaid Precinct:

 

Outside In Takes a Stab: 139 New Perspectives on 139 Buffy Stories by 139 Writers (with my essay on “Fool for Love”):

 

Poison Ivy Hardcover Ruled Journal:

 

Release the Virgins! (with my story “The Midwinter of Our Discontent”):

 

They Keep Killing Glenn (with my story “House Hunting”):

 

Thrilling Adventure Yarns (with my story “Alien Invasion of Earth!”):

 

Unearthed (with my story “Rán for Your Life”):

the Star Wars panel at ECCC

At Emerald City Comic-Con in March of this year, I was on a panel called “The Universe of Star Wars” with Amanda Cherry, Leo Roberts, and Gibbitt Rhys-Jones, moderated by Jeff Ayers. It was a fun little panel, in which I got to quote DeCandido’s First Rule, and generally a good time was had by all. The sound isn’t always great, but you should be able to follow along. (And there’s also an ASL interpreter…)

breakdown of each year of my fiction writing career

Here’s how each year breaks down in terms of what I wrote each annum in the previous post:

1994: 1 short story

1995: 2 short stories

1996: 2 short stories

1997: 2 short stories

1998: 2 novels, 2 short stories

1999: 3 novels, 2 comic books

2000: 1 novella, 1 short story, 1 comic book

2001: 3 novels, 5 novellas, 4 short stories

2002: 3 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story

2003: 4 novels, 1 novella, 2 short stories

2004: 4 novels, 2 short stories

2005: 5 novels, 1 novella, 3 short stories

2006: 3 novels, 1 novella, 2 short stories

2007: 6 novels, 4 short stories

2008: 4 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story, 1 comic book

2009: 2 novels, 2 short stories, 23 comic books

2010: 2 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story, 21 comic books

2011: 4 novels, 3 short stories, 10 comic books

2012: 1 novel, 1 novella, 4 short stories

2013: 2 novels, 3 novellas, 7 short stories, 1 comic book

2014: 2 novels, 4 short stories

2015: 1 novel, 1 novella, 8 short stories

2016: 2 novels, 1 novella, 3 short stories, 1 comic book

2017: 2 novels, 2 novellas, 8 short stories, 1 comic book

2018: 4 short stories

2019: 3 novels, 6 short stories

 

my fiction writing by year

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the start of my fiction writing career, as my first-ever short-story sale was in 1994. Since then I’ve published a mess of short stories, novelettes, novellas, novels, and comic books. Here’s how it breaks down…..

1994

“An Evening in the Bronx with Venom” in The Ultimate Spider-Man (with John Gregory Betancourt)

1995

“God Sins” in Magic: The Gathering: Distant Planes

“Improper Procedure” in The Ultimate Silver Surfer

1996

“Editorial Interference” in The Fedoras Literary Review Volume 1 #2

“UNITed We Fall” in Doctor Who: Decalog 3: Consequences

1997

“Arms and the Man” in Untold Tales of Spider-Man

“How You Can Prevent Forest Fires…” in Urban Nightmares

1998

Gargantua (as K. Robert Andreassi)

“A Bone to Pick” in Did You Say Chicks? (with Marina Frants)

Spider-Man: Venom’s Wrath (with José R. Nieto)

“Playing it SAFE” in The Ultimate Hulk

1999

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Xander Years Volume 1

Young Hercules: Cheiron’s Warriors

Young Hercules: The Ares Alliance

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Perchance to Dream #1-2

2000

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Perchance to Dream #3-4

Star Trek: S.C.E.: Fatal Error

“Diary of a False Man” in X-Men Legends

2001

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Diplomatic Implausibility

Farscape: House of Cards

“Raymond’s Room” in Doctor Who: Missing Pieces

“Many a Mile to Freedom” in Farscape: The Official Magazine Volume 1 #1

Star Trek: S.C.E.: Cold Fusion

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Gateways Book 4: Demons of Air and Darkness

Star Trek: S.C.E.: Invincible Book 1 (with David Mack)

Star Trek: S.C.E.: Invincible Book 2 (with David Mack)

“Horn and Ivory” in Star Trek: Gateways Book 7: What Lay Beyond

“Recurring Character” in The Further Adventures of Xena Warrior Princess

Star Trek: S.C.E.: Gateways Epilogue: Here There Be Monsters

“Brotherly Love” in Farscape: The Official Magazine Volume 1 #2

2002

“Ten Little Aliens” in Farscape Role Playing Game

Star Trek: S.C.E. War Stories Book 1

Star Trek: S.C.E. War Stories Book 2

Star Trek: The Brave and the Bold Book 1

Star Trek: The Brave and the Bold Book 2

Darkness Falls

2003

Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda: Destruction of Illusions

Star Trek: S.C.E.: Breakdowns

“Broken Oaths” in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Prophecy and Change

Star Trek: The Lost Era: The Art of the Impossible

“Revelations” in Star Trek: New Frontier: No Limits

Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon Book 1: A Good Day to Die

Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon Book 2: Honor Bound

2004

Resident Evil: Genesis

Resident Evil: Apocalypse

“The Ceremony of Innocence is Drowned” in Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War

Dragon Precinct

“Getting the Chair” in Murder by Magic

Star Trek: A Time for War, a Time for Peace

2005

Ferenginar: Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed in Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Volume 3

“A Vampire and a Vampire Hunter Walk Into a Bar” in Amazing Stories #608

Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon Book 3: Enemy Territory

Star Trek: Articles of the Federation

“loDnI’pu’ vavpu’ je” in Star Trek: Tales from the Captain’s Table

Star Trek: S.C.E.: Security

Serenity

Spider-Man: Down These Mean Streets

“Letting Go” in Star Trek: Voyager: Distant Shores

2006

World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred

“Crime of Passion” in Hear Them Roar

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Blackout

Star Trek: S.C.E.: Many Splendors

“Sunday in the Park with Spot” in Furry Fantastic

StarCraft: Ghost: Nova

2007

The Mirror-Scaled Serpent in Star Trek: Mirror Universe: Obsidian Alliances

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Deathless

Command & Conquer: Tiberium Wars

Supernatural: Nevermore

“House Arrest” in Bad-Ass Faeries

“Life from Lifelessness” in Doctor Who: Short Trips: Destination Prague

Resident Evil: Extinction

“A Clean Getaway” in Pandora’s Closet

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Q & A

“Four Lights” in Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Sky’s the Limit

2008

Star Trek: Klingon Empire: A Burning House

CSI: NY: Four Walls

Supernatural: Bone Key

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows Book 6: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment

“Meiyo” on Battlecorps.com

A Gutted World in Star Trek: Myriad Universes: Echoes and Refractions

Farscape Volume 2 #1

2009

Farscape Volume 2 #2-4

Star Trek: A Singular Destiny

Farscape: Strange Detractors #1-4

Farscape: D’Argo’s Lament #1-4

Star Trek: Alien Spotlight: Klingons

“Three Sides to Every Story” in BattleTech: 25 Years of Art and Fiction

Farscape: Gone and Back #1-4

Don Pendleton’s The Executioner: Code of Honor (uncredited)

Farscape: D’Argo’s Trial #1-4

“Family Matters” in Star Trek: Mirror Universe: Shards and Shadows

Farscape Volume 3 #1-2

Farscape: D’Argo’s Quest #1

2010

Farscape Volume 3 #3-14

Farscape: D’Argo’s Quest #2-4

Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon

Don Pendleton’s The Executioner: Deep Recon (uncredited)

StarCraft: Ghost Academy #1

Star Trek: Captain’s Log: Jellico

“Fire in the Hole” in Dragon’s Lure

Cars: Adventures of Tow Mater #1-4

“The Unhappy Ones” in Star Trek: Seven Deadly Sins

2011

Farscape Volume 3 #15-24

Unicorn Precinct

“Under the King’s Bridge” in Liar Liar

SCPD: The Case of the Claw

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Sun: Under the Crimson Sun

“Letter from Guadalajara” in More Tales of Zorro

Guilt in Innocence: A Tale of the Scattered Earth

“Ragnarok and Roll” in Tales from the House Band Volume 1

2012

Viral: -30- (with Steven Savile)

Goblin Precinct

“When the Magick Goes Away” to Kickstarter supporters

“The Stone of the First High Pontiff” in Defending the Future 5: Best-Laid Plans

“The Ballad of Big Charlie” in V-Wars

“I Believe I’m Sinkin’ Down” in Tales from the House Band Volume 2

2013

Gryphon Precinct

“Catch and Release” in Tales from Dragon Precinct

“Brotherly Love” in Tales from Dragon Precinct

“Blood on the Water” in Tales from Dragon Precinct

“Heroes Welcome” in Tales from Dragon Precinct

Leverage: The Zoo Job

“Contest of Chompions” in Kung Fu Panda: Tales of the Dragon Warrior #1

Cayo Hueso Part 1: A Farewell to Cats

Cayo Hueso Part 2: The Buck Stops Here

Cayo Hueso Part 3: Twisting Fate

“Undine the Boardwalk” in Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet

“Love Over and Over” in Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet

“God of Blunder” in Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet

2014

“Gan Brightblade vs. Mitos the Mighty” to Kickstarter supporters

Star Trek: The Klingon Art of War

“Stone Cold Whodunit” in With Great Power

“Fish Out of Water” in Out of Tune

“Time Keeps on Slippin'” in Stargate SG-1/Stargate Atlantis: Far Horizons

Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution

2015

“Down to the Waterline” on BuzzyMag.com

“Partners in Crime” in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido

“Seven-Mile Race” in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido

“Wild Bill Got Shot” in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido

“Behold a White Tricycle” in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido

Heroes Reborn: Save the Cheerleader, Destroy the World

“Send in the Clones” in The Side of Good/The Side of Evil

“Back in El Paso My Life Will be Worthless” in The X-Files Volume 1: Trust No One

“William Did It” on StoryOfTheMonthClub.com

Marvel’s Thor: Dueling with Giants (Tales of Asgard Book 1)

2016

Marvel’s Sif: Even Dragons Have Their Endings (Tales of Asgard Book 2)

Stargate SG-1: Kali’s Wrath

“Right On, Sister” in Limbus Inc. Book III

Icarus Book 1 (with Gregory A. Wilson)

“We Seceded Where Others Failed” in Altered States of the Union

“Streets of Fire” in V-Wars: Night Terrors

Super City Cops: Avenging Amethyst

2017

Super City Cops: Undercover Blues

Super City Cops: Secret Identities

“Identity” in Baker Street Irregulars

Marvel’s Warriors Three: Godhood’s End (Tales of Asgard Book 3)

“Deep Background” in Aliens: Bug Hunt

“Baker’s Dozen” to Kickstarter supporters

“Live and On the Scene” in Nights of the Living Dead

“Behind the Wheel” in TV Gods: Summer Programming

Orphan Black: Classified Clone Report–The Secret Files of Dr. Delphine Cormier

Supernatural: John Winchester Hardcover Ruled Journal

“Ganbatte” in Joe Ledger: Unstoppable

“Sun-Breaker” in Stargate SG-1/Stargate Atlantis: Homeworlds

“In Defense of Self” in Mine!: A Celebration of Freedom and Liberty For All Benefitting Planned Parenthood

2018

“Six Red Dragons” in Baker Street Irregulars: The Game is Afoot

“House Hunting” in They Keep Killing Glenn

Poison Ivy Hardcover Ruled Journal

“Chaos Theory” in Gryphon Precinct (reprint edition)

2019

“The Midwinter of Our Discontent” in Release the Virgins!

“The Fall of Iaron” to Kickstarter supporters

A Furnace Sealed (Book 1 of The Adventures of Bram Gold)

Mermaid Precinct

“Rán for Your Life” in Unearthed

“The Silent Dust” in Brave New Girls: Adventures of Gals & Gizmos

“Puzzle Box” in Footprints in the Stars

“Alien Invasion of Earth!” in Thrilling Adventure Yarns

Alien: Isolation

preorder the Brave New Girls eBook!

You can now preorder Brave New Girls: Adventures of Gals & Gizmos in eBook form! Click here for all the ordering links in one place, so you can get this nifty anthology edited by Mary Fan & Paige Daniels featuring stories about girls doing science! It includes my story “The Silent Dust,” which introduces a young woman named Connie de la Vega.

The best part is that all proceeds from this book go to the Society of Women Engineers. So go and preorder!

midweek music: “Superman (I Want To Fly Like)”

Found this amazing cover of the Kinks’ “Superman (I Want To Fly Like)” by students from the Chicago School of Rock, who just nail it. It’s one of a bunch of songs about Superman you can find on this blog post on The Beat.

a nice review (in German) of Articles of the Federation

My 2005 Star Trek novel Articles of the Federation was, like most Trek novels, translated into German and published by the fine folks at Cross Cult. Now, the good and noble Götz Piesbergen has reviewed Die Gesetze der Föderation for the Warp-Core.de web site.

Check it out, though be warned that the review is in German…………

talkin’ the new Cassie Zukav story with the editor of Unearthed

Altrix Books is running Q&A’s with the authors who contributed to Unearthed, and they led off with me! Click here to read my thoughts about writing for the anthology in general and about “Rán for Your Life” in particular.

An excerpt:

Altrix: What books, shows, or real life events inspired your work, if any?

DeCandido: The biggest inspirations are Norse myths and my experiences being married to a scuba diver — not my wife Wrenn Simms, but rather my ex-wife Dr. Marina Frants, who was and is an avid scuba diver. Plus, of course, just the general vibe of Key West…..

on sale now: Unearthed with a new Cassie Zukav story!

Altrix Books has released Unearthed, edited by Kara Dennison, and which includes a new tale of Cassie Zukav, weirdness magnet, by me, entitled “Rán for Your Life.” While on a wreck dive in the Florida Keys, Cassie encounters a strange container covered in runes that give her the heebie-jeebies. This leads to an encounter with Rán and AEgir, the Norse gods of the sea, as well as Cassie’s old buddies Loki and Odin.

You can find the anthology’s full table of contents here — the other stories are by some wonderful folks, including two of my favorite humans, Meredith Peruzzi and John Peel, as well as James Bojaciuk, Paul Driscoll, Richard Gurl, I.E. Kneverday, James Maddox, Michael O’Brien, Graham Tedesco-Blair, and Sharyna Tran, as well as editor Kara (another of my favorite humans). Each story has an illustration as well, by either Ginger Hoesly, Sophie Iles, or Monica Marier.

Get your hands on the book here, in either trade paperback or eBook form!