‘4th of July Picnic’

From last night’s live broadcast.
Made up as I drew, reacting to comments in the chat area.

Noticing the difference not doing live programs for nearly a month.
Gonna try to keep these as much ongoing as I can.

Kuretake brush pen on sketch paper from Miller Pad and Paper.
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About Doctor Ferrel by Day Keene
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book by “Keene”, as so many Gunard Hjertstedt wrote, defines the, now labelled, “Pulp” novel. It’s stewed and steamed in sexual situations, death and intrigue.

The plot charges in very well and drags near the end. The pacing works well for the ending.
The characters are very well written. The book has the doctor character so0 well written, the tension pours from the pages. The reader wondering just what will he do next. Also the writing of the inner thoughts of the doctor versus what is presented to the public presents the reader well with the hidden demons many carry and not known.

The setting is excellently produced. Which brings up the next…

– The Florida setting: Hjertstedt nails early ’50s Florida. Though this book could be sexually stirring to some, it’s hard not to almost break a sweat as the heat is so well included. The heated part would be hard for newcomers to Florida to read. The unfortunate inclusion of air conditioning was yet to occur. Heck, television sets were not a common element found in Florida homes.

Seems Hjertstedt was combining the cities of Palm Harbor and Safety Harbor to create Palm City. The Phillipe Park mentioned is very real still today. As Hjertstedt wrote the park in the ’50s is just as it was then…and should still be today. Government contractors has upended that.

There’s a minor detail of the municipal police responding to another city’s problem on U.S. 19. Palm County, as Pinellas is referred here, Sheriff’s office would be next to respond to a Clearwater incident.

The bait shack has me envisioning that area being south of Gulf to Bay, where the trailer park was for decades, next to the McMullin-Booth cross-over.

The draw back is unfolding more of the indecent the book is based on and who all were involved.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 8 out of ten points.

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Neal Adams Monsters by Neal Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Basically, this is an updated version of work that Adams and his Continuity Studios did back in the 1970s. My suggestion: Stick with the oriignal.

Adams strength was his rendering. The updated version includes too much digital falderal that impedes the dynamic illustrating. Though, this is not Adams & Co. best work. As Adams was fully able to redraw weak parts of the story, it’s too bad he didn’t.

The plot is shaky. The written execution is not very good. I noticed this when I read it some 40 years ago. Again, the updated version could’ve cleaned up the dialogue.

Overall, this new version is fine for the Adams completest, but for the casual reader, stick with the original.

Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.

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The Cat Who Talked Turkey by Lilian Jackson Braun
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As this series winds down the need of reading previous books and knowing the landscape and characters becomes more essential. Those that do will enjoy this turkey trot through another story of Qwill and his kitties. There is a bit of mystery included, but this is really a slice of life story and familiar characters written to satisfy the fans of the series.

Bottom line: I recommend this book and series. 7 out of ten points.

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A Month of Doomsdays by William W. Johnstone
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The third entry in the Brannigan series has me believing this is the weakest series currently being written out of the Johnstone Clan. This one does have a good plot of standard western characters. It comes across more as one where a family is shoved into it and unbalanced to whole. Much as the last two books did.

The characters are all bumbling about and no one seems to have a keen view of what they are doing. Having a 15 year old as the focus helps a bit, as 15 year olds tend to bumble about anyway.

The writing devise of having no one listening to the kid is too obvious. All to, seemingly, prolong, or pad, the story. Thing is, when realization dawns to characters it is too quickly embraced, resolved and done. Furthering me to believe this was needless padding of the book.

There are also far two many melodramatic, emotional elements dropped in that are out of place and don’t fit the rhythm of the tale. As with the last entry, was there more than one writer assembling this? Is the end the result of editor meddling.

As with the other two….

Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.

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The last two weeks in North Carolina had collected a bunch of scribbles for me to draw from during my live drawing broadcasts over at my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/CartoonsByRobSmithJr/

I’ll use one a few times a week during broadcasts.
Broadcasts should resume July 3rd.

If I cross your path, I may ask a Sqiggle from YOU!

Knock, Knock: In Pursuit of a Grand Unified Theory of Humour by William Hartston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This volume begins very well with a loose overview of those who have included humor in whatever they did creatively.
The book starts out very well as humor history is chronicled from the start of man through the Greeks and through the 1800s. Unbelievably, that is a smaller part of the book. The rest is the author’s view of humor, where a lot is left out, considering all we know.

The advent of technology involving books, newspapers, radio, tv and film are acknowledged. However, what all produced involving humor is barely written of. It’s as if the writer was running out of time and rushed writing to the end.

Delving into Twain, Mencken, George Kaufman, Dorothy Parker, Woody Allen, Neil Simon, etc. are hard to imagine not putting spotlights on involving humor. Steve Allen, who wrote volumes on humor, gets a mere mention.

I was really surprised at how cartooning is missing. Cartooning is entirely based in humor. From gag cartoons to comic strips to comic books, humor was the fire that started the various forms of communications.

Frankly, I think the author should have ended this book and worked to create a second and/or third volume.

This writer does have his feet in the U.K., so missing American hunor creators can be somewhat set aside. Though that raises questions of focus on folks like Arthur Askey, George Formby, Ken Dodd, etc. Moreover, tehre are so many internationally that are never mentioned.

Something only touched on, as the writer turns a bit political, is the advent of “Political Correctness” and the death of humor. That deserved a chapter in itself.

As with most writers today, this one also litters the book with ‘evolution’. This author includes the word dozens of times incorrectly. Again, I wish these writers would learn even the simplest theories involving evolutionary theory. All the writer, who misuse the word, do is red flag their ignorance of evolution and that questions whatever else is written.

Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.
I need to note that access to this book came via NetGalley.

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Bad Hombres by William W. Johnstone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book launched with top notch writing and intriguing scenes. The two main characters are pure-Johnstone brand. Well rounded and strong enough to have readers follow them in their treks.

This time the evil they are sent so solve builds up to a near-save-the-world level. It gets ridiculous, but fun. The duo interaction really adds to this series.

One line that really caught me and defined the bad guy, “…then placed it carefully on the table with a move so precise there wasn’t even a tiny click of glass toughing wood.” Outstanding line.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 7 out of ten points.
Access to review this book was made via NetGalley.com

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