Tommy Gun Wizards

One of the most impressive people I know is my good friend John Pyka aka Big Daddy Cool. Not only is he a great stage magician and a fantastic singer he’s certainly an expert on comics. Earlier this month he posted on his Facebook page about a new dieselpunk comic book from Dark Horse comics: Tommy Gun Wizards.

The official Dark Horse web site describes Tommy Gun Wizards as “Mobsters, magic, and mayhem in the Prohibition era!” It goes on to say:

“Eliot Ness and his team of Untouchables work overtime taking on dangerous criminals that hide in the seedy underbelly of 1930s Chicago. Except in this world, Al Capone isn't dealing in alcohol, but in magic. With Lick, a drug that grants magical powers to anyone who ingests it, mobsters become wizards, ordinary men become monsters, and darker secrets than Ness can imagine lie at the heart of it all.”

Tommy Gun Wizard was created by Christian Ward and Sami Kivela. Sami Kivela is credited with the art while Christian Ward was responsible for the cover art.

The artwork is excellent and the storyline and characters are interesting. It’s a lot of fun and I highly recommend Tommy Gun Wizards.

Issue #1 of Tommy Gun Wizards was released August 28, 2019.

2020 Pin-Ups for Vets Calendar

It’s here! The new Pin-Ups for Vets Calendar for 2020! According to the Military Times,

This year’s edition, which features 19 women decked out in 1940s vogue — veterans representing all five branches of the military — marks the 14th year the company has endeavored to raise morale while simultaneously shattering stereotypes about women in the armed services.

For those unfamiliar with Pin-Ups for Vets organization it was started in 2006 by Gina Elise. She had seen stories in the news about how older veterans would go long periods without visitors. Also, how veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were struggling with injuries and sickness. She remembered how her grandfather had served in World War II. So she decided to do something to help.

Elise decided she would make a calendar with a 1940s pin-up theme. The proceeds of the calendars would be be donated to help hospitalized veterans. In addition, sick and injured veterans along with those currently serving abroad would receive the calendars as gifts of appreciation.

Here’s your chance to buy a cool dieselpunk item and to help a good cause at the same time. Visit the Pin-ups for Vets web site and buy yours today.

Abigail

Where is the line between Steampunk and Dieselpunk? A new movie from Russia is blurring the boundaries between the two genres. The movie is Abigail.

According to IMDb,

A young girl Abigail lives in a city whose borders were closed many years ago because of an epidemic of a mysterious disease. Abby's father was one of the sick - and he was taken when she was six years old. Going against the authorities to find his father, Abby learns that her city is actually full of magic. And she discovers in herself extraordinary magical abilities.

However, the IMDb article doesn’t capture the style of the movie. According to Wikipedia,

Shootings will take place in Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and in the historical part of Tallinn, Estonia. The visual image of the fantasy city will be created on the basis of ancient buildings and narrow streets of Tallinn and Saint Petersburg, and finalized with the help of computer graphics.

Principal photography was completed in Tallinn will be transformed into the streets of the fictional city Fensington, in which, according to the plot, fairy tale events take place. The scenery combining the images of the 1930s.

Filmmakers of Abigail have developed an original conception of magic and a stylistics of closed fantastic city that combines steampunk and atmosphere of the early 20th Century Fox. There were created the unique images of the suits of city residents, rebels and their enemies - inspectors of the Security Division.

Note: The wording of the Wikipedia article is odd. I transferred it exactly as it was written.

Is it Dieselpunk, Steampunk or a fusion of both? Check out the trailer and decide for yourself.



Abigail is scheduled for release on August 22, 2019.