The Hyde Seed

I've done four interior illustrations for a new book from Airship 27, THE HYDE SEED.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

At one time boxer Pepe Rodriguez believed his only opponents were the men he faced in the ring. But when his own self-doubts derailed his boxing career, Pepe soon learned to understand one’s own personal demons are the most deadly foes of all.  Years later they return to once again threaten any chance he has of real happiness and contentment. In the end he will have to endure one final bout against his darker side or risk losing his soul to despair forever.

The book is available at Amazon.

The Towers of Metropolis

I am happy to announce that the latest book I've illustrated for Airship 27, "The Towers Of Metropolis" a prequel anthology based on the Fritz Lang's classic Metropolis movie is now available.

Here's what editor Ron Fortier is saying about it:

In 1927 German filmmaker Fritz Lang brought to the screen one of the most ground breaking sci-fi melodramas of all time based on the screenplay he co-wrote with his wife, novelist Thea von Harbou.  Set in a futuristic urban dystopia, the story follows the attempts of Freder, the son of the city’s ruler, and Maria, a citizen of the lower levels, to bridge the gulf separating the economic classes of the city. It is regarded as a classic and one of the first full-length movies in the genre.

“I first saw the film at the World Science Fiction Convention years ago,” reports Airship 27 Productions’ Managing Editor, Ron Fortier.  “It simply blew me away.  That a film this sophisticated and brilliant could be realized during the earliest days of movie making was astounding. Those images of that futuristic city and its underlying cautionary tale simply became a part of me. I never forgot them. To put together this anthology and revisit that world has been something truly special for all of us here at Airship 27. We hope our fans will enjoy our efforts here.”

Now five visionary new pulp writers have envisioned four dramatic tales which unfold in this amazing world prior to the events of that film. The book begins with a special introductory essay by author Fred Lang, Jr. and then William & Michael Maynard join forces with Michael Panush, Kevin Noel Olson and Erik Franklin to guide readers back to those vaulted, shining Towers of Metropolis in this new collection inspired by Lang’s masterpiece.

Award winning Metropolis enthusiast Michael Kaluta provides the cover with artist Pedro Cruz offering twelve amazing interior illustrations.  All beautifully assembled by Airship 27 Art Director Rob Davis to create a book any fan of the film will want for their personal library.

The book is available at Amazon in both hard copy and on kindle.

As an extra bonus here's one of the twelve illustrations I did for this book.

The Amazing Harry Houdini !

Just received the good news from my friends at Airship 27 that the latest book I've illustrated for them, "The Amazing Harry Houdini" has been released.

Here's what editor Ron Fortier had to say about it:

This awesome books stars perhaps the most famous magician-escape artist of all time in four fictional adventures set against the backdrop of his world tour. The first two stories are set in London and written by Jim Beard and James Palmer, the third has Houdini in Paris by I.A. Watson and finally writer Roman Leary puts him on the Nord Express bound for Berlin. The cover art is by Carl Yonder with beautiful interior illustrations by Pedro Cruz. To say we are proud as punch about this book would be a gross understatement. As ever it is now available at Amazon.com in both hard copy and on Kindle….and eventually some time next year as yet another of our Airship 27 Audio titles.

As an extra bonus here's one of interior illos I had the pleasure of creating for this thrilling new pulp!

Houdini!

This past week I've finished illustrating a new short story anthology from Airship 27 featuring none other than the great magician Harry Houdini. I have no idea if younger generations nowadays are aware of Houdini, the man and the myth, but when I was a kid he was still a pretty well known legend and widely revered as the greatest illusionist ever, so it was a blast to visualize some of the scenes from these great four tales. Here's one of my illos from the book.

Zeppelin Tales

The most recent book I've illustrated for Airship 27 is now available! Here's the press release:

CLIPPERS OF THE CLOUDS

UP SHIP! AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS launches ZEPPELIN TALES!

In the early 20^th Century, German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin pioneered the creation of rigid, lighter-than-air crafts capable of long distance flights. During World War One, they were adapted for military use as long range bombers wreaking havoc upon Great Britain from their lofty positions high above the clouds where fixed-winged fighters could not reach them. After the war, the Zeppelins became pleasure ships utilized in luxury Trans-Atlantic Flights and highly popular.

The Golden Era of the airship was the 1930s, the same period as that of pulp magazines, and it is no surprise that their romantic images would inspire pulp writers of the time. The original monthly magazine, ZEPPELIN STORIES, was produced solely to highlight these magnificent flying machines in exciting, colorful and fast paced adventures. Now, Airship 27 Productions, itself bearing the image of these high-flying cruisers, launches a brand new series devoted to airships.

“I doubt there could be a more inevitable title for us than this one,” joked Airship 27 Managing Editor Ron Fortier. “Even since we started publishing new pulp novels and anthologies, many of our readers would point to our logo and ask when we were going to get around to doing a book about airships.”

Fortier states that as much as he was always keen on the idea, other projects kept taking precedence. Then a few years ago one of their regular contributors pushed the matter to the foreground.

“Writer Frank Schildiner wrote one day pretty much asking if we were ever going to get to this particular theme as it begged to be done. I no longer had any legitimate excuse not to tackle the project. We put out the word and within a few days two of our finest pulp writers answered the call.”

In this debut volume you, will thrill to the exploits of Jim Beard’s new hero, Tracer Talbot, as he encounters a mysterious pirate airship and her crew. While writer I.A. Watson sets off on an aerial adventure aboard an experimental Zeppelin built to explore the skies of an alien dimension. Each high flying tale is wonderfully illustrated by Pedro Cruz, and the book features a stunning cover by award winning artist Mike Fyles with Art Director Rob Davis providing the book’s overall design.

Join us as AIRSHIP 27 – ZEPPELIN STORIES Vol One soars into the stratosphere of the imagination on this, its maiden flight.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – New Pulp Fiction for a New Generation!

Available now at Amazon in both hard copy and Kindle.

(http://www.amazon.com/Zeppelin-Tales-1-Jim-Beard/dp/061591554X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383666100&sr=1-2)

And as a downloadable PDF at our official website.

(http://robmdavis.com/Airship27Hangar/index.airshipHangar.html)

And as a teaser, another of the twelve illos I've created for this fun volume.

Shape of things to come

This week I've finished twelve illustrations for an upcoming Airship 27 book, ZEPPELIN TALES volume one. According to Captain Ron this is most likely to be released next year, but in the meantime, here's a sneak peek of my artwork for this great new pulp book. Enjoy!

Three Against the Stars - now on Amazon

On the distant alien planet of Rhajnara a conspiracy created by the facist Khandra Regime is set into motion to overthrow the rightful Rhajni Republic and instigate a policy of ethnic-cleansing. The conspirators are cunning and it seems nothing in the universe can derail their mad apocalyptic scheme. Nothing that is but three rambunctious Space Marines from the Third Regiment Company E of the United States Space Marines assigned to Rhajnara with the Terran Expeditionary Force. Sergeants Fernado Cortez, Seamus O’Hara and Claudia Akira are the most unlikely trio ever to don jarhead camouflage and become military heroes. To their superiors they are wild, reckless and incessant troublemakers always in the thick of things. Yet their courage, loyalty and devotion to duty prove them to be the toughest Devil Dogs in the Corp. Now, with the aid of a Medical Corpsman named Makki Doon, a young Felisian native proto-feline humanoid, these three futuristic musketeers are about to become the one factor capable of exposing the traitorous Khandra coup. But to do so they will have to put their lives on the line one more time and risk all to save the day facing off against incredible odds. To save an empire they will truly become…THREE AGAINST THE STARS - The latest book to which I've contributed interior illustrations is now available at amazon. What are you waiting for? Go grab it while it lasts - it'll make for a wonderful late Christmas gift :-D

THREE AGAINST THE STARS

The most recent book from Airship 27 to which I've contributed interior illustrations has been released. Here's the PR for it: THREE AGAINST THE STARS by Chicago based writer Joe Bonadonna. Best known for his sword and sorcery fantasies, Bonadonna now steps into a whole new arena to deliver a truly fast paced futurist pulp adventure. On the distant alien planet of Rhajnara a conspiracy created by the facist Khandra Regime is set into motion to overthrow the rightful Rhajni Republic and instigate a policy of ethnic-cleansing. The conspirators are cunning and it seems nothing in the universe can derail their mad apocalyptic scheme. Nothing that is but three rambunctious Space Marines from the Third Regiment Company E of the United States Space Marines assigned to Rhajnara with the Terran Expeditionary Force. Sergeants Fernado Cortez, Seamus O’Hara and Claudia Akira are the most unlikely trio ever to don jarhead camouflage and become military heroes. To their superiors they are wild, reckless and incessant troublemakers always in the thick of things. Yet their courage, loyalty and devotion to duty prove them to be the toughest Devil Dogs in the Corp. Now, with the aid of a Medical Corpsman named Makki Doon, a young Felisian native proto-feline humanoid, these three futuristic musketeers are about to become the one factor capable of exposing the traitorous Khandra coup. But to do so they will have to put their lives on the line one more time and risk all to save the day facing off against incredible odds. To save an empire they will truly become…THREE AGAINST THE STARS. “This is old school space opera,” cheered Airship 27 Productions’ Managing Editor, Ron Fortier. “From Buck Rogers to the Space Patrol, the classic elements in this book make for a fun read from start to finish.” The book features interior illustrations by the popular Pedro Cruz with a dynamic cover by Laura Givens and is designed by Art Director, Rob Davis. “In the end, Joe Bonadonna delivers an action packed space opera fans of Edmond Hamilton and E.E. “Doc” Smith will not soon forget.” Here's one of the nine illustrations I've done for the book:

THREE AGAINST THE STARS is available now at Create Space. Also available as a digital PDF download here. In another week you'll be able to get it at Amazon & Kindle. And in two weeks from www.IndyPlanet.com

All-Star Pulp Comics

It is with great joy that I announce the release of Airship 27 Productions' All Star Pulp, a new comics anthology featuring stories and art by an all-star cast of todays new pulp writers and artists, including yours truly. This amazing 58 page comic book features the following characters and creative teams:

The Green Lama by Adam Garcia & Mike Fyles
Jim Anthony Super Detective by Erwin K. Roberts & Pedro Cruz
Black Bat by C. William Russette & Wayne Beeman
The Blue Lady by Sean Taylor & James Ritchey III
The Rook by Barry Reese & Craig Wilson
Secret Agent X by Bobby Nash & Jeremy McHugh
Domino Lady by Percival Constantine, Rock Baker & Jeff Austin
Cover by Jeff Butler featuring the Green Lama & the Domino Lady

You can get it here. Hope you give it a try!

Pulp Factory Awards 2009 - And the awards go to...

The First Annual Pulp Factory Award winners are:

Best pulp novel: The Satan Factory by Thomas E. Sniegoski
Best pulp short story: The Adventure of the Locked Room by Andrew Salmon
Best pulp cover: Mark Maddox for Sherlock Holmes vol 1
Best pulp interior illustrations: Rob Davis for Sherlock Holmes vol 1

Congratulations to all nominees and winners!!

2009 Pulp Factory Awards

My dear editor and friend Ron Fortier of Airship 27 just told me my work on Jim Anthony Super-Detective volume 1 got nominated for the final ballot of the 2009 Pulp Factory Awards for Best Pulp Interior Illustrations. To celebrate, here's a couple of my illos from the book. Cheers!

Season of Madness at Amazon

So, I got two good news this week.

First was getting my comp copy of "Season of Madness" - the latest book I've illustrated for Airship 27 productions.

Second was knowing the book is now available at Amazon.

So what is the book about?
When a group of men and women throughout London begin exhibiting strange psychotic behavior, Dr. John Seward, from the Dracula affair, is brought into the case. Faced with a mystery beyond his realm of experiences, he turns to Sherlock Holmes' trusted companion, Dr. Watson, for help. Together these two men of science must uncover the riddle behind a white powder drug with the ability to drive people mad before the entire population is infected. Also includes a special bonus story, "The Electric Shark", starring Her Majesty's Secret Agent, Quincy Harker.



Last but not least, credit where credit's due, "Season of Madness" was written by Aaron Smith, features illustrations and back-cover by myself Pedro Cruz and cover by Rob Davis and Shane Evans.



You know how having a book around will make you seem all hip and intellectual. It also makes for a lovely Christmas present. Get one for your lovely half, for you mom, for your dad, for your brothers and sisters, for gramps and even for your mascot, be it cat, dog or parakeet. Don't forget to treat yourself with one copy too. Here's the amazon link. Now be a good sport and buy it.

SEASON OF MADNESS - A doctor Watson adventure

Finally, my second book for AIRSHIP27 is out!

When a group of men and women throughout London begin exhibiting strange psychotic behavior, Dr. John Seward, from the Dracula affair, is brought into the case. Faced with a mystery beyond his realm of experiences, he turns to Sherlock Holmes' trusted companion, Dr. Watson, for help. Together these two men of science must uncover the riddle behind a white powder drug with the ability to drive people mad before the entire population is infected. Also includes a special bonus story, "The Electric Shark", starring Her Majesty's Secret Agent, Quincy Harker.

Written by Aaron Smith,illustrated by Pedro Cruz, cover by Rob Davis and Shane Evans, edited by Ron Fortier and published by Cornerstone books.

You can buy it here.

Season of Madness - teaser

We interrupt our ongoing serialized comic WHYM to announce another thrilling pulp project from Airship 27 with interior illustrations by yours truly. Coming soon!