Review: Pulp - It's Good To Have You Home Again.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 1, 2012
'Blood and Tacos #1' is one hell of a good read. For pulp enthusiasts looking for something reminiscent of the 1970-mid 1980's era, look no further. Johnny Shaw has put together a highly talented roster to contribute to the first installment of the quarterly men's magazine loaded with politically incorrect and over the top characters that will make you cringe and laugh at the same time. There are no sensitive or tree hugging happy-go lucky characters within these stories - rather the anti warm fuzzy, fast talking gun toting 'real men' and their curvaceous and ever willing dames.Gary Phillips (of 'The Jook' fame) kicks off procedings with a shaft-like story of a sharp shooting Booker Essex and his thirst for vengence. Accompanied by a friends sister who also works undercover as a stripper the pair take on an entire operation of gangsters to bring their own form of gun smoking justice. I hope we get a chance to read more of The Silencer in further installments. 'The Silencer Strikes' is pure pulp and a perfect way to introduce readers to this concept.Combat of the military kind is catered for with Matthew C Funk's 'Tiger Team Bravo in: Bonds of Blood' and 'Battleground U.S.S.A: Texasgrad' by Christopher Blair with the latter taking aim at a futuristic America which has been invaded by commies, where churches are blow-up for the hell of it and the warm blooded American women taken as slaves for the Russians - naturally there is a brave kick-a$$ American solider accompanied by some native Indians who make a stand and kill everything that moves, destroying vast enemy numbers and single handely taking back a town - unrealistic and entirely enthralling stuff. 'Bonds of Blood' for it's part has all the makings of a modern day thriller with a bit of Predator-style commando team hardness thrown in for good measure. There will be blood, Funk makes no bones about it - and it's all good.'The Albino Wino in: Longhair Death Farm' by Cameron Ashley and 'Chingon, The World's Deadliest Mexican in: Blood and Tacos' by Johnny Shaw are the highlights of the collection. This was my first exposure to Cameron Ashley and I'm sure hope to discover more. 'Longhair Death Farm' introduces the Albino Wino, a protagonist like no other, a permanently drunk and charismatic albino who is himself a weapon of mass destruction and man of many lovers. In this installment, he's captured by a cult who believe the bones of albino's prolong life and provide enlightenment. It takes no time for the Albino Wino and his sexy accomplice to turn the tide and raise hell at the cult grounds. While Johnny Shaw's creation Chingon is a deadly Mexican and fierce lover. No man or women stands a chance when pitted against Chingon. I particularly liked the way Chingon referred to himself in the third person, adding to the cheesy nature of these stories.In amongst the newly rediscovered stories are reviews of pulps past - these are a terrific insight into what was available back in the day and highlights just how much the quality has changed in storytelling (for the better). Each of these is entertaining and a pulp history lesson within its own right.All in all, this is a fantastic concept - I hope the second installment maintains the momentum generated by this excellent pulp commodity - 5 stars.