Prodigy (2019) written by Mark Millar art by Rafaael Albuquerque

Mark Millar is a prolific writer, he's written for Marvel and DC before he branched off to his own creator owned studio, Millarworld. 

He created Wanted, that was basis for the Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy movie (okay very thin basis), Kick-Ass and Hit Girl, and Kingsman (or as the comic was known The Secret Service).

I liked those properties both as movies and comics so I keep an eye on Millar stuff - I collected CLINT magazine which printed Kick- Ass 2 and Hit-Girl miniseries as well as The Secret Service and Supercrooks.

As a general rule, I prefer low to no powers in my comic stories (I'm a pulpy guy),  so some of his Millarworld stuff I can take or leave.  

Then I saw a review of issue 1 of Prodigy, the second series from Millarworld after it was bought by Netflix.  The reviewer said that this was Millar riffing on Buckaroo Banzai.  

Millar does Buckaroo Banzai - I'm down for that story.

I read each issue as it came out and finished this the first arc just last week..  I then went back and reread the whole series.  

This series was a blast and a half - Edison Crane the Prodigy of the title is worthy to stand alongside Buckaroo Banzai, Doc Savage, The Destroyer, The Pretender, Sherlock Holmes,  Dillon and the Nekton Family from The Deep.

If you know me at all that's pretty high praise.

Ethan is a genius with a total recall, he owns a business and serves an unofficial troubleshooter. Like Banzai , he's off in a million directions at once - playing 18 simultanious games of chess, writing compositions, planning stunts, written three plays, created a new telecommunication system and a new cling wrap that keeps things fresh for a century. All before breakfast.

He's bored and decides to investigate unusual events in Australia. While there he;s approached by a CIA agent who explains that these events are part of a larger conspiracy.  Crane goes full Sherlock Holmes on her.  making deductions left,  right and centre.

Before you know it Crane and CIA agent Rachel Straks are globehopping looking for an ancient text that might be the key to it all.  

The fitth issues ends with a twist that plays out nicely in the final installment.  I did not see it coming but I feel that Millar didn't play fair with the reader, Crane saw the twist coming because he had knowledge that we, the reader, weren't privvy to.  

But damn if I didn't care because it was worth it see Crane bring down the bad guys.  because he is a dozen steps ahead of our villains - it was almost a reverse Watchmen.  Crane discovers the plot and goes yeah I figured it out thrity five minutes ago and made adjustments to foil your plot.  Oh and here's your handcuffs back.

I can't say more without spoiling it.

Give Prodigy a try if you like Doc Savage or Buckaroo Banzai and I look forward to the inevitable Netflix adaptation.

The Nuclear Suitcase; A Gantlet Brothers Adventure (2009) by Joel Jenkins PulpWorks Press

I've hummed and hawed on how to start this review.  I discovered the Gantlet Brothers in the Dillon crossover in "Four Bullets for Dillon".  When I listen to the Pulped Podcast there is an advert for this book.

I really like the idea of a rock band who are also freelance adventurers. It's not one I've seen used often - there was a reference to Britany Spears being a spy in the TV series Secret Agent Man (which adds a whole new layer to her appearance as a fem-bot in Austin Powers: Goldmember).  It's one of those ideas that make you go "Genius, why hasn't someone done that before?"

The Gantlets are five brothers who escaped over the Berlin Wall in the early eighties and who have worked as bodyguards and trouble shooters to help support their music career.

In this their first novel length adventure the brothers stumble onto a plot by a rogue Soviet General to plant several suitcase nuclear bombs with the intent of starting World War III. (The novel is set in the late 80s) .  The adventure starts with the eldest two brothers Fritz and Sly uncovering the plot an then calling in their brothers after the CIA lets them help in the hunt.  This allows the brothers to pair off to hunt down the bombs as well as work a female spy turned pop singer.

There is an appearance by John Velvet from the Dillon series.

I enjoyed this book and will be picking up the two short story collections The Gantlet Brothers: Greatest Hits and The Gantlet Brothers: Sold Out.

The Vril Agenda (2014) Josh Reynolds and Derrick Ferguson

Dillon is one of the premier New Pulp characters and I enjoy reading his adventures.  When I heard the premise of this novel I had to read it - a young Dillon at the start of his career seeking out a mentor to train him, 

The hero Dillon seeks out is Jim Anthony Super Detective.  Jim Anthony appeared in 25 tales from 1940 to 1943.  In recent times he's been revived by Airship 27 and Pro Se Productions.  Jim Anthony come from the Doc Savage School of pulp heroes.  He's half Irish, half Indian and all American and is an expert tracker and scientist.  His original adventures were of the spicy variety. 

The story opens with Dillon waiting at the New York branch of the Baltimore Gun Club in the hopes of meeting Jim Anthony.  After a discussion between the new hero and the retired one, Anthony takes Dillon to his penthouse apartment in the Waldorf-Anthony when enemies attack. 

This is slam-bang pulp adventure where we discover that an old enemy of Jim Anthony is back and even get a flash back adventure to when Jim Anthony first clashed with the German pulp hero Sun Koh. Crossovers and references come thick and fast throughout the book but the pace is so fast it's almost like trying to catch something out of the window of a speeding train.

I would be very surprised if this story was not nominated for a New Pulp Award come next year.  This an amazing book and I would recommend grabbing this.