Kickin' The Willy Bobo With: LUCAS GARRETT Part One

Derrick Ferguson: Who is Lucas Garrett?

Lucas Garrett: I am a thirty-three year old African American, a former United States Marine, and a concierge security officer with over fourteen years of experience in the security industry. I am the second oldest of seven children (five sons and two daughters). In addition, I write unpublished fan fiction, and I am a fan of various forms of literature, television, films, and video games. In particular, those forms of media that focus on crossovers.

DF: Where do you live and what do you do to keep the bill collectors away?

LG: For a year and a half, I have lived in a suburban subdivision in Lawrenceville, Georgia. I work for Allied Barton Security Services as a concierge security officer at a high-rise office complex near the CNN Center, in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

DF: You are a major Science Fiction/Comic Book/Movie/Classic Pulp/New Pulp/Wold Newton Universe fan. Where did all this begin for you?

LG: That’s a loaded question. My love for science fiction, comic books, movies, classic pulp, new pulp, and the Wold Newton Family/Universe comes from my Dad. He was a voracious reader, mostly of classic literature, history, anthropology, archaeology and linguistic studies. It is because of him that I have a strong love for reading.

When he was younger, my Dad was a fan of the short-lived television series, “The Green Hornet”, starring Van Williams and Bruce Lee. In fact, one of the first comic books my father bought for me, when I was a kid, was Now Comics’ The Green Hornet #2, written by Ron Fortier. The Green Hornet, and later The Phantom, were characters who intrigued me because the mantle of The Green Hornet and The Phantom were passed down from generation to generation. In the case of The Green Hornet, the mantle is transferred from uncle to nephew, whereas for The Phantom, the mantle is transferred from father to son. I loved the family dynamic. And even though The Green Hornet and The Phantom were not Pulp heroes per se (The Green Hornet originated from Old Time Radio, and The Phantom began as a comic strip character), I see Pulp literary elements in the characters and their world.

DF: What are some of your favorite Science Fiction TV shows and Movies?

LG: Science fiction is the final frontier of the mind for me. Therefore, I gravitated to it very early on with movies such as the original Star Wars trilogy, the Star Trek films, Enemy Mine, The Brother From Another Planet, The Final Countdown, The Philadelphia Experiment, Tron, the Terminator films, and the Predator films. Action adventure films such as the Raiders of the Lost Ark trilogy, the James Bond films starring Sean Connery, the John Carpenter films (Escape From New York, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China, in particular), Highlander, The Rocketeer, The Shadow, and The Phantom prepared me for my early foray into pulp literature. And, of course, when I was younger, television shows like Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation were big in my home. Although, of the various Star Trek series, including Star Trek: Voyager, I gravitated more towards Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Captain Benjamin Sisko, portrayed by Avery Brooks, is my favorite character from the series.

In fact, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and J. Michael Straczynski’s Babylon 5 were the two television science fiction series I routinely watched in the 1990’s. Moreover, I am a fan of old television series like Automan, Voyagers!, Misfits of Science, the A-Team, Magnum P.I., Simon & Simon, Miami Vice, MacGyver, Mission: Impossible, Airwolf, M.A.N.T.I.S., Kindred: The Embrace, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., Jack of All Trades, Hercules, Xena: The Warrior Princess, Angel, etc. Currently, on the SyFy Channel, I watch Eureka, Warehouse 13, Sanctuary, Lost Girl, and Alphas. On CBS, I watch NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. On Cinemax, I watch Strike Back. Furthermore, I am a big fan of Doctor Who, and J.J. Abrams’ Alias, and I watch them on DVD whenever I get the chance.

DF: Do you think Science Fiction in print has lost some of the fun and sense of wonder that it used to be known for? And if so, why?

LG: I think it has since we live in a technologically-advanced period in human history. We are literally one-step away from Star Trek. All we need now are faster-than-light space vessels, and teleportation. We pretty much have everything else that Gene Roddenberry envisioned. Those who read science fiction, in the past, were trying to make it possible in real-life. I don’t see much of that drive these days. Scientists and engineers have become so successful in giving the public new technological tools and toys, that we have become complacent. Despite the recent launching of the Mars Rover, Curiosity, being a success for the scientific and academic world, very few outside those circles cared. Furthermore, literary works of fantasy, such as the Harry Potter and Twilight series, are usurping literary works based on hardcore science fiction, or science fiction based on scientific fact and logical speculation. The primary reason why books like Harry Potter and Twilight are doing so well is that there is little explanation needed to understand them, if and when, they become feature films.

The K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) approach is being used to make money off literary science fiction and fantasy properties; because the aim of the publishers is to get enough buzz about a book series, so that it is optioned as a series of feature length films. That’s my take on it. Comic books are in the same boat too. Literary works are now source material for big or small screen adaptations. The literary property is a vehicle to launch a multimedia enterprise that not only markets the books, but also other connected merchandising properties. Very few people write books for the sake of having books published. The Internet and other multimedia enterprises have changed the nature of the game forever.

DF: Who are your favorite Science Fiction writers?

LG: Philip Jose’ Farmer, Win Scott Eckert, Christopher Paul Carey, Rick Lai, Arthur “Art” Sippo, Ron Fortier, Derrick Ferguson, Howard Hopkins, Charles Saunders, Milton Davis, Barry Reese, Jason Jack Miller, Heidi Ruby Miller, William Patrick Maynard, Will Murray, Lester Dent, Walter Gibson, Norvell Page, Philip Wylie, E.E. “Doc” Smith, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert, Michael Crichton, Howard V. Hendrix, Caleb Carr, Leslie Silbert, and J. Gregory Keyes. A lot, I know.

DF: What were the last five movies you saw and how’d you like ‘em?

LG: THE AVENGERS, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, THOR, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, and BATTLE: LOS ANGELES. I loved them. In particular, BATTLE: LOS ANGELES, since I’m a former U.S. Marine, and I enjoyed seeing what type of battle plan the Marine Corps would have in the advent of an extraterrestrial incursion into our known space and planet Earth. Aaron Eckert was superb in his role as a Staff Sergeant, who had planned on leaving the Corps, but due to circumstances beyond his control, winds up leading a platoon of Marines, and other service members, in launching a counterattack against the alien invaders. I went away thinking that this would be a great prequel to Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers novel. That’s how my mind works. I see crossover potential in almost any media.

THE AVENGERS was fantastic. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER was outstanding. Initially, I wasn’t a fan of Chris Evans taking on the role of Steve Rogers. Specifically, because Evans had played Johnny Storm in The Fantastic Four films. However, and surprisingly, Evans won me over. Any actor willing to put in the time, and energy, to play an iconic character on film, as Evans did, deserves my respect. And director, Joe Johnston, masterfully told a great story about the first true Avenger in Marvel Comics history, and the world in which he fought. I couldn’t have asked for anything else.

THOR was also very good. Better than I expected, actually. I especially, loved the way the writers showed that advanced technology and science would be perceived by lesser civilizations as being magical in nature.

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS was perhaps the best X-Men film I have seen since X2: X-MEN UNITED. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were outstanding as the younger versions of Charles Francis Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto.)  And the actor to watch, in my opinion, is Fassbender. If a Hollywood studio ever decides to make a feature film about the pulp vigilante, The Spider, then Fassbender is the man you need to play the title role. I can see Fassbender portraying Richard Wentworth, alongside Lena Headey, as Nita Van Sloan. Of course, what won me over about Fassbender was his range in the film, as well as the intentional references to the Sean Connery James Bond films. Fassbender looks like he could be Connery’s son, or grandson. Overall, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS shines because of how logical the evolution of the X-Men, from a top-secret CIA assault team during the Cuban Missile Crisis, to the personal strike team of the Xavier School for the Gifted seemed. It makes complete sense that the X-Men would cut their teeth during one of the most tumultuous times in human history. The Children of the Atom would save the world from nuclear holocaust. It was pure genius, on the part of the scriptwriters, to bring that remarkable idea to the silver screen.

DF: What three Classic Pulp characters would you like to see adapted to movies?

LG: The Spider, Operator #5, and The Avenger.

DF: How long have you been reading comic books and what are your favorites?

LG: I rarely read comics anymore. The last comics I read were Moonstone’s The Spider #1, The Spider #2, and The Spider vs. The Werewolf. The last comic book series I read was Warren Ellis and John Cassaday’s Planetary series. That was two years ago. Since then, I haven’t read any other comics. When I was ten years old, my Dad bought me Classic X-Men #44, Batman #441, and Now Comics’ Green Hornet #2. Therefore, from September 1990 until March 2010, I collected and read comics books of various genres. Mostly superhero comics. Now, unless it comes from Moonstone, or Airship 27, I don’t even bother. Even Alan Moore has disappointed me with his last series about the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

DF: What's the biggest difference you've seen in comic books between when you first started reading them and now?

LG: How complicated they have become. There is too much serialization and tie-ins needed to understand most of the comics out today. There are very few standalone stories in superhero comics being printed these days. And, of course, way too much political pandering, and agendas, in today’s comics that I don’t particularly think need to be in a comic book geared toward preteens and adolescents. When I was coming up, the comics I read the most were Uncanny X-Men and X-Men. Now, there are numerous X-Men, or X-related, titles to look at, and they’re all interconnected. If I had been a ten-year old coming up today, I doubt very highly that my Dad would purchase these comics.

First of all the prices for comics have gone way up. When I was younger, comics ranged from $0.50 to $1.25. Now you have comics that cost four to five dollars, at the minimum. Secondly, in order to follow the story arc for most Marvel and DC comics, you have to purchase tie-in comics. Thirdly, there are too many monumental events happening every three, or four, years. And finally, the characters are not allowed to grow up, grow old, get married, have children, and have a life. It’s idiotic, in my opinion, to have the original X-Men not age, and have lives, and families of their own. Cyclops should not look like a thirty-five year old man. A superhero can be all he or she can be, and still be a normal human being. The problem that I see from the two “big houses” is that they have run out of ideas. It’s easier to invest your attentions in an established character, or world, as opposed to expanding it through time, or creating a brand new one of your own. When I realized that unfortunate fact, I lost all interest in superhero comics.

DF: We're seeing an awful lot of Classic Pulp heroes being adapted into comics these days. What are your thoughts on that?

LG: I am happy if it is done right. When it is not done right, it affects the properties greatly. A great example of it not being done properly is the recent fiasco infamously known as “DC: First Wave.” The writers cannot take characters like Doc Savage and his Amazing Five, The Avenger, and his team, Justice, Inc., and expect them to function properly in a modern day setting.

These characters were tailor-made for the world in which they operated: The Depression era. It was easier in those days to yearn for the ‘Superman.’ Now such a person would be ostracized, and viewed with suspicion, by many people. Because that person would be perceived as being a threat to societal mores, and the wellbeing of the public, and could potentially, inadvertently, or intentionally, change the cultural and political climate of society. Back then, people were on the lookout for the “Great Man” who would save them, and take care of their problems. It was in the cultural psyche. And the pulps gave the readers what they wanted. To modern readers, they would seem antiquated. Obsolete. But they are not. Pulp heroes and villains who are set in their natural settings can still be used to tell great stories. But you cannot change the nature of the character, and their world, and expect longtime fans of these characters to come along. It’s not going to happen.

Derrick Ferguson: When did you first discover Classic Pulp?

Lucas Garrett: It happened around the fall of 1999. At around this time, I was reading Warren Ellis and John Cassaday’s Planetary comic book series for WildStorm Productions, the now defunct imprint of DC Comics. Issues #’s 1 and 5 drew me to the Pulp Hero archetypes that were clear homages to characters such as Doc Savage, The Shadow, The Spider, Tarzan, G-8, Operator #5, Tom Swift, Shiwan Khan, and Fu Manchu. I had remembered The Shadow from the 1994 film starring Alec Baldwin. It was a decent film. The main intrigue for me was The Shadow himself. How could he affect people’s minds? Furthermore, around this time, I became aware of the pulp historian and annotation expert, Jess Nevins, through his Wold Newton website, and his annotation works on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume One. It was the perfect situation for me because I had had enough of superhero comics. I wanted to read something rooted in reality. The introduction of Planetary, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the Wold Newton Family, and Universe, and the classic pulps, helped to direct my reading habits as I began to wean myself away from superhero comics. I would occasionally read Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch’s The Ultimates, Grant Morrison’s run on New X-Men, and Chris Claremont’s run on X-Treme X-Men. But that was about it. It was primarily Planetary and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volumes 1 and 2. 

Stay tuned for Part Two as I continue to Kick The Willy Bobo with Lucas Garrett and we talk about Classic Pulp, New Pulp and The Wold Newton Universe

Kickin' The Willy Bobo With: BALOGUN OJETADE

Derrick Ferguson: Who is Balogun Ojetade?

Balogun Ojetade: Balogun Ojetade is a cool dude.

He is an author; a father of eight children; a husband; a Steamfunk / Steampunk; a filmmaker; a screenwriter; an actor (sometimes); a master instructor of indigenous African martial arts; a creator of role-playing games and a traditional African priest.

DF: Where do you live and what do you do to keep the bill collectors away?

BO: I live in Atlanta, Georgia.

I am owner and technical director of the Afrikan Martial Arts Institute, which has representatives in Atlanta, Macon, Ga and London, England.

To keep the bill collectors away, I avoid answering the phone, I run very quickly and I stay in the good graces of my beautiful and loving wife, who is the hardest working photographer in the business.

DF: When did your love of science fiction, heroic fantasy and speculative fiction begin?

BO: My love for science fiction, fantasy and horror began when I was two years old, when my sisters decided to conduct an experiment and see if they could teach their two year old brother to read by getting him hooked on comic books, starting with Thor, Superman, Beetle Bailey, Archie and the Fantastic Four. Their experiment worked and I have been in love with speculative and imaginative fiction ever since.

DF: You’re an instructor of African Martial Arts. When and where did you begin training?

BO: I began training in April, 1972 in Chicago, Illinois, under the tutelage of my father, who spent over a decade living and training in West Africa, when he was employed as security for the U.S. Embassy in Dakkar, Senegal. I have been training daily ever since. I began formally teaching my own students in 1992.

DF: You’re also heavily involved in film as a writer, director and fight/stunt coordinator. Tell us about your film projects.

BO: I majored in film, with a concentration in screenwriting, in college. I have always loved films and filmmaking, but for years, I did not have the time or resources to create my own, so I concentrated on other endeavors. In 2001, I was asked to develop a one act play based on a popular poem I wrote entitled The Good Ship Jesus. I developed the play and performed it myself as part of the National Black Arts Festival. The play – and I – received rave reviews, so I decided to pursue acting. I won roles in a few martial arts films and a few plays, always observing the techniques of the directors, actors and fight / stunt coordinators.

In 2001, I was given the opportunity to produce a martial arts thriller screenplay I wrote entitled Reynolds’ War. I jumped at the chance and the film has gone on to become an underground hit in the U.S. and in West Africa. After that experience, I formed my own production company, Roaring Lions Productions, and recruited some of the best talents in film to work with me to create quality works of Black science fiction, fantasy and horror for film. We have created two films – A Single Link, a martial arts thriller about a woman who is raped and discovers her rapist has gone on to become a mixed martial arts champion. For closure and empowerment, she decides she wants to fight him and she goes on to become the first woman to fight professionally in co-ed mixed martial arts and a symbol for victimized women worldwide; and Rite of Passage: Initiation, an excerpt from a Steamfunk television series I – and Milton Davis are developing.

DF: Before I get into “Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman” I think we ought to talk a bit about Steamfunk. What is Steamfunk, where did it come from and where is it going?

BO: In order for people to understand Steamfunk, we must first give a brief definition of Steampunk. Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction or fantasy, characterized by a setting – in the past, present or future – in which steam power predominates as the energy source for high, industrial technologies. Think the television show Wild, Wild West, the graphic novel / comic book series, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, or the movie The Golden Compass.

Steamfunk is a philosophy or style of writing that combines the African and / or African American culture and approach to life with that of the Steampunk philosophy and / or Steampunk fiction.

DF: “Moses: The Chronicle of Harriet Tubman” is a wonderful reimagining of a genuine historical icon as an action/adventure hero in a story that moves like an out of control freight train going downhill. Where did this concept come from and can we look forward to more?

BO: I have always been a fan of Harriet Tubman and knew that the first novel I ever wrote would have “General Moses” as the hero. In researching her life for a poem I wrote a few years ago, I came to realize what an amazing woman she really was and that she seemed to possess uncanny abilities, such as psychic visions, nigh superhuman strength and the ability to change her appearance where no two people gave the same description of her. Even to this day, there are only five photos of Harriet Tubman known to exist and many we that were once believed to be her have been proven to be someone else.

Finding out these things incredible about Harriet sparked my already wild-as-hell imagination and the concept for Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman (Books 1 & 2) was born. I am writing books 3 & 4 at present and Harriet will make a cameo in my story, Rite of Passage: Blood & Iron, which appears in the upcoming Steamfunk! Anthology.

DF: Tell us about Sword and Soul and “Once Upon A Time In Afrika”

BO: For a definition of Sword and Soul, I will quote the subgenre’s founder, the incomparable author, friend and mentor, Charles R. Saunders: “Sword-and-soul is the name I’ve given to the type of fiction I’ve been writing for nearly 40 years.  The best definition I can think of for the term is ‘African-inspired heroic fantasy’.  Its roots are in sword-and-sorcery, but its scope is likely to expand as time passes.”

Once Upon A Time in Afrika is my Sword and Soul novel. Desperate to marry off his beautiful but "tomboyish" daughter, Esuseeke, the Emperor of the powerful empire of Oyo consults the Oracle, which tells him that Esuseeke must marry the greatest warrior in all Onile (Afrika). To determine who is the greatest warrior, the Emperor hosts a grand martial arts tournament, inviting warriors from all over the continent. Just a few of the warriors chosen are her lover, Akin, who enters the tournament in disguise, a wizard seeking to avenge the death of a loved one and a vicious dwarf with shark-like, iron teeth. Unknown to the warriors and spectators of the tournament, a powerful evil is headed their way and they will be forced to decide if they will band together against the evil, flee, or confront the evil as individuals.

DF: Tell us about your science fiction gangster epic “Redeemer”

BO: Redeemer releases in November, 2012. It is about an assassin who decides to leave his life of crime – and his crime family – behind and build a family. His boss, a ruthless gangster and technophile, uses the assassin as a test subject in the first attempt at time travel. He is sent thirty years into the past. Distraught at first, he accepts his dilemma and decides to save his teenaged self from a life of crime by preventing the events that led him to choose that life. His attempts, however, bring him into direct conflict with a younger version of his former boss and the brilliant and brutal man who trained him in the arts of death.

DF: And if all this wasn’t enough, you’ve also co-created a Sword and Soul Role Playing Game called Ki-Khanga. Give us the background on that.

BO: I have been a player and Gamemaster of pen-and-paper role-playing games for over thirty years, starting with Dungeons & Dragons and then adding Traveller, Champions, Marvel Superheroes and a host of others to my collection. All of these games were very Eurocentric, however and I was always asked by my friends to create scenarios set in Africa. In 1987, issue # 122 of Dragon Magazine featured an article by Charles Saunders entitled “Out of Africa”. The article was about the deadly and mysterious creatures of Africa. This article planted the seed in my head to create a role-playing game set in Africa. Not a supplement set in Africa, but a stand-alone role-playing game – something very different from the games that were already on the market.

Chasing women, partying and (occasionally) school led to me abandoning the project for several years. 

By the time I decided to return to the development of the game, I found myself married and raising a family. In 2006, the idea for the game would not leave me and I began its development. In 2011, I told author and publisher Milton Davis about the game and he asked me to send him the system I created. He –and his son Brandon, an experienced gamer, liked my concept but felt the system, which had no random generator, needed one. Not wanting to use dice, like most other games, I decided to use playing cards as the random generator. I revamped the system, which Milton liked and we began building the world of Ki-Khanga and writing stories to familiarize people with that world. The system is fully developed and is in the play-testing phase now. After several play-tests, which have gone well, we are now working with illustrators to create visual representations of the nations, people, creatures and technology of Ki-Khanga.

DF: A common complaint of writers is that they have difficulty writing action/fight scenes. As a martial artist what advice can you give for writers in writing authentic and exciting fight scenes?

BO: I wrote an entry on my blog on this very subject awhile ago. You can find it on my website at I think the most important thing to remember is to remember that a good fight scene is about momentum and rhythm.

I provided executive protection for the actor Jackie Chan many years ago and he gave me some advice on choreographing a fight scene that I use in my writing. “The rhythm of a fight scene sells it. I use African and Japanese drum rhythms for my fights. Those rhythms draw the audience in and make them love the fight.”

Each move should flow from where the last one ended. If your hero throws a spinning back kick, where is her weight when she lands? Is he standing straight or bent at the waist? In what direction is his body leaning? The next blow he delivers should follow the same line of momentum. If he kicked in a clockwise motion, his next kick will also probably be clockwise.

Try to act out fight sequences in order to figure out momentum and balance, which creates rhythm. Throw a side kick and observe how your weight shifts, or what area of your body is exposed.

I often act out entire fight scenes with my wife. We are both career martial artists, so she humors me. However, if you do not happen to have a spouse that is a martial arts expert handy, watch movies for ideas.

DF: Do you think it’s desirable for writers to chase “mainstream” audiences or is that just a dream always out of reach?

BO: Many writers have successfully gone “mainstream” and are happy. I have no desire to go the mainstream route of major publishing and acquiring an agent, as I desire to maintain creative control of my work. As an author of Black speculative fiction, I know of writers who have been told by major publishers that if they changed the hero of their story from a Black person into a white one, they will publish the book. I have heard many other such horror stories and I refuse to allow myself to become a victim of that madness. The route I have chosen may take more work for me to reach the masses, however, the rewards are much greater in the long run.

DF: What is A Day In The Life of Balogun Ojetade like?

BO: I awaken at 4:30 am and exercise for an hour, then I shower and meditate / pray. I start writing at 6:00 am and write for about three hours before I take a break to chat with Milton Davis on Facebook or his Wagadu ning site. At 11:00, I hang out with my three-year old daughter and we have lunch at noon. My daughter and I watch movies together until she takes her nap at 2:00pm and then it’s more writing and social networking for me until my wife and my other children return home from school and work. At 6:30pm, I head out to my martial arts school and I teach from 7:00pm until 9:00pm. I return home around 10:00pm, eat, talk with the wife and then go to sleep. This is my normal routine, with slight variations if special events or family outings are forthcoming.

Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we should know about you?

Balogun Ojetade: I am a hard-working, creative guy who is very approachable and enjoys intelligent discourse. I am easy-going unless I encounter sexism or racism and then the…other side surfaces. So if you see me giving someone a verbal or written beatdown on some social network or at some panel discussion, know that otherwise, I’m a pretty cool dude.

A Review of "Once Upon A Time In Afrika"

Kickin' The Willy Bobo With: RONALD JOHNSON

Derrick Ferguson: Who is Ronald Johnson?

Ronald Johnson: Ronald Johnson can be thought of as an equilateral rhombus living in a circular world. His angles are too sharp to fit in easily. However on those rare times when his second derivative smooth’s him out, he along with his brother-in-law, Dennis Cruz, are the co-creators of Maddjeeper, an awesome 3-D web-comic. Dennis is the Graphic Artist and I put the words on the page, or more precisely, the characters demand that I speak for them.

DF: Where do you live and what do you do to keep the bill collectors away?

RJ: I live out in the wilds of Queens Village, NYC in a rambling Victorian house with my family. To keep me in writing parchment and quilled pens I find I must trade my time and juggle numbers for the finance division of a major NYC University.

DF: MADDJEEPER is a webcomic that combines so many genres and elements from different forms of entertainment that it defies my limited ability to describe it. So tell us: what is MADDJEEPER?

RJ: Maddjeeper, from the future, originally contacted me in my sleep and made me tell the tale of a post-apocalyptic Lesser Earth, circa 2170, in which he seeks vengeance on whoever bombed MaddFatt City.  As the Maddjeeper runs roughshod in his pursuit, other forces on Lesser Earth, in order to keep their secrets, are determined to put him in the ground.

In the future there is less earth, so there is no time for fronting. You have to defend, strongly, what is yours or it will be taken away. The things of old Earth are relics and in certain circles of MaddFatt City the ancient music of Hip-Hop has been elevated to a high societal construct. In MaddFatt City the vitality of Hip-Hop is so strong, according to the Rapper Mos Def … “it speaks for itself."

So therefore in order to tell a story that big … it has to a rich bouillabaisse.

Smack … smack, yeah … that’s tasty.

DF: Where did the concept begin and where is it going?

RJ: Paraphrasing from the movie 'Inception': the most dangerous parasite on Earth is an idea.

Maddjeeper, the character, began in the teenaged mind of Dennis Cruz as a sketched superhero. Advance the clock some 315 million seconds and the Maddjeeper is being resurrected to help M.C. Globe (of Planet Rock & Soul Sonic Force fame) get background material for a superhero based rap demo. As the story was told and the lyrics written the Maddjeeper began to grow and take on an undeniable life of its own. One of the memorable lines written by M.C. Globe from the title track Maddjeeper was …”Straight out your speaker, here comes the Maddjeeper, putting on a show like tonight’s main feature. Now I’m a Jeeper, he’s a Jeeper, she’s a Jeeper, if you’re not a Jeeper let’s see what we can do.” We had a blast laying down seven tracks for the demo.

Unfortunately the demo didn’t lead to a record deal for M.C. Globe but the Maddjeeper stood tall in our minds for years until we were able to translate him and the other citizens of Lesser Earth into to the two dimensions of comics.

As to where the concept is going, in a systemic development mode, we now have 257 characters in the Lesser Earth world and some of the factions like: QuadroForce, Doggmen and Uni-Rebels are clamoring to make their breakout debuts. So far the 21 completed chapters only cover three days in the life of the Maddjeeper so the sky’s the limit.

DF: Why do it as a webcomic?

RJ: There certainly are challenges in producing Maddjeeper as a web-comic however we found that this method allowed more “creative” control of the process. While we studied and tested 3-D software we used the format of digital photography of action figures for the first 16 chapters of Maddjeeper. Then when we switched over to 3-D software we had to re-create all of our action figure characters as their 3-D equivalents. That was work but it gave us expanded options. Before our characters were limited by what we could find. In the 3-D realm options were increased exponentially. As with working with all software there will be the obligatory upgrades and patches that have the potential to wreak havoc on your character library. We have tagged a line that goes “Maddjeeper is the future of web-comics”… so I guess it’s true.

DF: Why not as a traditional comic book?

RJ: When we first started developing the storyline neither of us had the artistic talent to draw, pencil, ink and color all the characters in all of positions. Also, there was grave concern about the prospect of turning over the concept to a DC, Marvel or Image Comics.

DF: There’s a lot of cinematic elements in the presentation of MADDJEEPER. Do you see this as someday being an animated series or live action/CGI movie?

RJ: Each genre has its strengths and as I prepare to write out the scenes, panels, and narration and camera angles for the Maddjeeper I definitely say, to myself, “Roll tape ... ACTION!” Dennis puts so much artistry into his finished images that you can see the potential the movement of animated series or live action CGI movie.

The tip of the hat to Hip-Hop music in Maddjeeper can be seen in the inclusion of song lyrics as dialogue throughout the chapters. For example in Chapter 16 there are 9 different lyrics as dialogue included. Everyone from BB King to the Wu Tang Clan echoes back to us from the future. Can’t you just feel the bass line?

DF: One element I love about MADDJEEPER is the multi-cultural aspect. Was that a deliberate choice right from the start or did that evolve as the story itself evolved?

RJ: The multi-cultural aspect of Maddjeeper was most definitely present right from the beginning. It is said that you should write what you know so that it comes out real. We are both New York City born and raised. Dennis came up in housing projects in upper Manhattan and I was raised in housing in Bed Stuy, both of us love music (Dennis was a DJ for years) and both of us were avid comic book readers. We just wanted this future fantasy story to have a hero who was a person of color, like us and for him to dig Hip-Hop, like us. After we did five chapters we did some Career Day events at Schools in Queens & Brooklyn and the children’s eyes really lit up when they saw characters that they could identify with.  That gave us the encouragement to continue on. 

DF: Are there any other projects you’re working on now?

RJ: Sure. As I type we have a few things spinning ‘round the wheels of real. An outside group has expressed interest in developing a demo game for the iPad. Let me tell you; playing them is one thing …. Attempting to design them …. INTENSE.

Also we are about to revamp the MADDJEEPER.COM website to coincide with the reboot of the storyline. We are about to go back, way back, to Chapter 1 and re-present the story, the way we originally intended to, in a graphic novel style. These images are going to be so rich they will have to ask Mitt Romney for tax advice. We are planning to launch the new look before Thanksgiving 2012.

DF: What is a typical Day in the life of Ronald Johnson like?

RJ: I guess it’s rather ordinary for a person who sleeps about five hours a night and multi-tasks his remaining time to work, spend time with the family, do seasonal gardening, write & plot out future sequencing for the Maddjeeper.

Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we need to know about Ronald Johnson?

Ronald Johnson: I’m married almost 30 years, to my lovely wife, Kim, and we live with five of our seven children plus two grandsons. I have received my BS & MBA degrees in Finance from New York University.

Kickin' The Willy Bobo With: SAMUEL JAMES WHITE

Derrick Ferguson: Who is Samuel James White?

Samuel James White: Samuel James White is a young writer from Leeds, but I suppose in reality he is just part of a variety of different alter egos I possess. I also write under the name of Samuel Shiro, who is grumpy, pessimistic, and hateful. In the past, I’ve played other characters as well, although they’ve never actually being involved within the realm of published work. I suppose Samuel James White is just my original name since I’ve played so many characters over the years and they have now become mixed up with the original.

DF: Where do you live and what do you tell the government you do for a living?

SJW: I reside in the city of Leeds in England. As for what I tell the government I do for a living, well that’s a more complicated matter. I suppose I tell them that I run my own publishing company, Tranquillity Publishing, but I don’t actually take a salary from it. By trade I’m a freelance writer, but since most of that is wired through various means I don’t actually tell the government anything.

Since my intention is to keep moving around the world I don’t suppose I will ever be revealing too much to them. Then again, with the performance of our governments I could tell them and then they’d most likely lose the forms!

DF: How long have you been writing?

SJW: I couldn’t really say. I’ve always dabbled in it since I first started reading, and I was always way ahead of the expected reading levels for my age. I used to write little things, but then I stopped for a long time when I discovered World of Warcraft. Five years of addiction later and I drifted back into writing. On a professional level, though, I’ve written for just over a year.

DF: Before we go into your fiction writing let’s talk for a bit about your professional article writing service. How did you get into that?

SJW: I got into that by accident as a friend came to me and claimed that another friend said I was a writer. I really wasn’t and I told him that, but I gave it a try anyway. It was for some website content for a local hair salon called Room 112, which you can find on my website www.mrshiro.com. I then took another job for him when I found out I enjoyed it. He said he liked my work, so then I started learning about freelance writing. Steadily, I picked up clients from some of the bidding websites and now I have a healthy pool of clients.

DF: What’s the best advice you can give for someone wanting to become a professional article writer?

SJW: I would say that unless you are really lucky expect to work for very little in the beginning whilst you build up a portfolio. Ultimately, the best thing you can do during this time is to make yourself a website. Make a website with all of your best work on it and then link it when you apply for every single job. Even add it to the bottom of your CV, or even make an online resume and just send them the link.

DF: What’s the best thing about dealing with clients? And the worst?

SJW: I think the best thing about dealing with clients is when you can work on a personal level with them. After a while the professional barriers are broken down as you become more familiar with each other and you both begin to learn little things. They turn more into writing friends than clients. Just remember that this won’t happen if you are working directly with a company, normally.

The worst thing is clients who have no idea what they want or what they are talking about. The ones that are overly critical about things they don’t understand I just throw out. It’s not worth the effort and you can’t reason with them because their criticism is rarely based on fact. You know more than them and yet they think it works in a different way. I have no problem with criticism, but I won’t deal with unwarranted criticism.

DF: Tell us about Tranquillity Publishing.

SJW: Tranquillity Publishing, which you can find at www.tranquillitypublishing.com, is a publishing company that I set up in 2012 to help writers find a way into the market. I’m more interested in providing a route via print than just an eBook service, although that usually comes on top of the print package, as print is the holy grail of writing. Every writer wants to see their name in a book. And the problem with the big publishing companies is that it’s all about profit. They won’t take a chance on what could be the next big thing because their only concerns are the company profit margins.

It’s a move away from the joy of writing towards facts and figures. I believe it’s diluting the publishing industry and it’s why I’m only too happy to hasten its downfall by providing other options. Independent publishing and small publishing houses are the future.

As of this interview, we are publishing an anthology that’s expected sometime before Christmas, and we already have our first signed author in the form of Matthew Head. We have our own office just outside the centre of Leeds and have taken on an intern to help with various functions within the company itself.

DF: Why have your own publishing house?

SJW: Well, as I said, I believe that the mainstream publishing industry is nothing but diluted rubbish these days. New writers and new forms of literature won’t be touched, and that’s stunting the creative process as a whole. And to add insult to injury, the writers that are rejected get nothing but a pathetic automated rejection letter. That’s disgraceful.

It’s why when we reject or accept a piece for publication we state the reasons why. We add some advice on how they can improve in the future and wish them good luck. I answer each email personally. Now, why can’t the big publishing houses do that? If they can spend time reading the manuscript and preparing the rejection letter then they can take a minute or two to outline their reasons why they didn’t like something.

These actions damage writers, sometimes irreparably, and we aim to change that.

DF: Tell us about Psychopomp. What is it and what do you have to do with it?

SJW: The name or the entity itself? I’ll tell you about both. The Psychopomp as a name is taken from the imaginary creature that supposedly conducts souls to the afterworld. The entity is an anthology of short stories from new, unpublished, and upcoming writers. The project was conducted mainly by Jacob Milnestein, who I first got in touch with early this year. I believe it was February or something? I know it was before April because I wrote the story whilst on a work trip to Brighton.

Apart from writing ‘My Train Ride’ I didn’t really have a lot to do with it. But either way, I’m thankful that I was a part of the first volume because for the first time I was able to speak to another writer. It sounds weird, but I’m a very sheltered individual. I’ve never connected with another writer in Leeds, so this was my first experience. I hope to meet up with Jacob in person sometime, but in the meantime it’s given me an insight into the creative writing community as a whole.

DF: ‘My Train Ride’ is a very internal story and one that I found very ‘literary’ and I don’t mean that in a bad way. Quite the opposite, in fact. Would you say ‘My Train Ride’ is representative of your fiction?

SJW: Only in how I happen to be feeling at a given moment in time. I wrote ‘My Train Ride’ after I gained the inspiration whilst on the train to Brighton. The inspiration came from me wishing I had chosen the first class option whilst sitting in cramped conditions praying that nobody would sit next to me. A lot of it is taken from imagination, yet at the same time a lot of it is taken from fact.

Although, before we move on I must make a point on the concept of good and bad in fiction. I don’t believe that it’s necessarily a negative thing when somebody calls my work, or any piece of work, ‘bad’. If you read a recent review of mine for ‘My Train Ride’ by an LA-based author he said that he wanted to tell my character to either cheer up or hang himself, and then he went on to say that the character was vile. Now, on the face of that it would appear to be quite a bad review. I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. The point is I got some sort of a reaction. Writers should only consider something a failure if the only thing it generates is apathy. No reaction is the writer’s worst enemy, and it’s something that 90% of writers will see when they put their work out into the public eye.

DF: What’s your theory on writing fiction?

SJW: Honestly? I don’t really have a theory on it at all. I know that lots of writers have these philosophical views on fiction writing, but I can’t really identify with them as I just don’t believe in it. I think that it’s something to do when you’re bored or where you are experiencing extreme feelings. Even people who wouldn’t consider themselves as ‘writers’ have created a diary, wrote a letter, or wrote their feelings down at some point in their lives. What separates a writer of fiction from everybody else is that the writer refined their skills and took it up as a goal.

DF: You also enjoy writing poetry. Does writing poetry exercise a different set of creative muscles than the ones you use for fiction and for article writing?

SJW: They are all different forms of writing and require different skills. Article writing is mainly based on fact. What separates the good from the bad are the creative techniques that are masterfully slipped into the folds created by the facts. That requires a certain degree of skill, and I would argue that it’s the most sensitive skill since bringing creativity and facts to the table can turn out to be a very volatile mix.

Writing fiction is mainly about the story. Ok, I don’t necessarily always stick to that since ‘My Train Ride’ was more of an internal story, but it’s mainly about the story. Of course, you add various metaphors, similes, and other literary techniques in there but they are all worthless without the story. Poetry is definitely something entirely different because it doesn’t have to have a story. You can concentrate on your descriptions, and I would say it’s an exercise in your depth of vocabulary.

I think what separates poetry from everything else is you can’t attempt to please somebody with poetry. People have very strong opinions on what makes a good poem and what doesn’t. I have friends who believe that if it doesn’t rhyme it’s just disjointed lines of prose. On the other hand, I have friends who write prose in disjointed lines and think that’s an example of good poetry. You should write poetry for yourself, mainly, and if you try to get it published then don’t get disheartened when somebody refers to it as something that could only come out of the Daily Mail or Fox News. I’ve gone through that, and when I submitted that poem elsewhere it was published.

DF: What can we expect from you in 2013? More fiction, hopefully.

SJW: 2013 is something that I don’t know a lot about. I don’t normally plan ahead with my fiction at all. The only things I’ve locked in at the moment are the advancement of my professional writing career and the release of Matthew Head’s first book in The Chronicles of Darkness series, which is called The Box of Annihilos.

Of course, I will still keep writing fiction, but I can’t really tell whether it will reach the light of day or not. Later this year one of my pieces is going to be published in a short story anthology on Love and Tragedy, which you will inevitably find out about on my website, and next year another story may be seen in another anthology from Writing.com. I also have my sights set on producing another piece for one of the future volumes of Psychopomp, although I will say that it will differ heavily from ‘My Train Ride’.

As for novels, I don’t really have my sights set on writing one of those yet. It’s not something I really want to dedicate my time to as of this moment.

DF: What’s a typical Day In The Life of Samuel James White like?

SJW:A typical day for me is that I get up very early, normally before 7am, and I go to work at the Tranquillity Publishing offices in the city. Here, I spend most of my time with my professional freelance writing work combined with work for Tranquillity Publishing; it’s all linked very closely.

I then return home about 3pm most days. When I get home I normally read a book or continue with writing. Of course, I do all the usual human maintenance jobs of eating food and showering, but most of my days are dominated by reading and writing. I may spend some time watching sports, playing computer games, and being lonely if I’m feeling generous though!

Derrick Ferguson: Anything else we should know about Samuel James White?

Samuel James White: Well, I run the Looming Dawn Charity, which you can find at www.loomingdawn.com. It’s where I dedicate some of my time every so often to helping out people. Recently, I just donated some money to an impoverished teenager who wanted to work towards accomplishing his dream of becoming a professional poker player, which I will be providing regular updates on. I’ve also lent my services to Experience Himalayan Nepal and Planet Whale to aid them with their operations.

I also share the phenomenon known as ‘catmania’ with Jacob Milnestein!

Fight Card: Brooklyn Beatdown

If you've been hanging around the New Pulp community for a significant amount of time then you've probably heard of the FIGHT CARD series of books. And if you haven't then trust me, you've been missing out on some really good reading. Here’s where you can find my review of "The Cutman" my favorite of the three FIGHT CARD books I've read so far. And I've got two more on my Kindle waiting to be read.

Short and simple the FIGHT CARD books are monthly 25,000 word novelettes, designed to be read in one or two sittings, and are inspired by the fight pulps of the ’30s and ’40s – such as Fight Stories Magazine – and Robert E. Howard’s two-fisted boxing tales featuring Sailor Steve Costigan. For the full lowdown on the entire FIGHT CARD story, bounce on over here and check it out. You can thank me later.

So what has this got to do with me? Paul Bishop, the co-creator of the FIGHT CARD series and I have been in touch ever since I co-hosted an episode of PULPED! where he was our guest. Paul and I briefly discussed the possibility of my writing a FIGHT CARD book. A few days ago, Paul emailed me and basically said; “It’s time and I'm not taking no for an answer.” And seeing as how the man’s a decorated veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department and I believe in co-operating with the police, what else could I do?

After a few details were worked out and Paul read my pitch, gifts were exchanged, promises were made and so FIGHT CARD: BROOKLYN BEATDOWN was placed on the schedule for February 2013. And as an added treat here’s the pitch I threw at Mr. Bishop. Read and enjoy:

Levi Kimbro, like most of the other FIGHT CARD protagonists went into the Army after he was too old to continue living at St. Vincent's Asylum for Boys in Chicago. Like all the orphan boys living in St. Vincent’s, Levi learned “the sweet science” from Father Tim Brophy. The fact that Levi was black made no difference to Father Tim. He treated all his boys the same no matter what their ethnic background and instilled in them all the values of respect for themselves and others and in the ring gave them all the tools they needed to become men that could stand on their own two feet.

Levi returns to his old Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood and gets a job at Napoleon "Nappy" Johnson's gym since during his time at the orphanage he learned how to take care of boilers and do maintenance work from Cholly Dougan, the alcoholic black janitor who lived in the basement. The janitor also instilled a love of reading and education in Levi that inspires Levi to go to school on the G.I. Bill, taking courses in Business Administration as he wants to own and operate a boiler repair business.

Levi's saving up money for his dream and he's doing so the best way he knows how: illegal bare-fisted brawls held in the backrooms of ghetto bars, poolrooms and abandoned warehouses. Levi's made something of a reputation for himself, gaining the nickname of "The Dancer" due to his extraordinary light-footedness in the ring. Nappy Johnson acts as he corner man. He's trying to push Levi into legitimate boxing but Levi insists he doesn't want to make a career out of boxing. he just wants to get enough money so that he can start his business up and not owe anybody. And Levi does make a lot of money...enough to attract the notice of “Duke” Williamson,  a Brooklyn gangster who thinks he can make some really big money with Levi in his stable of fighters who battle champs of the other NY boroughs and then even go on the road to fight the underground champs in other cities.

Levi's not interested in any of that that. At least not until he meets Dorothea McBricker, a mocha skinned knockout that he falls in love with at first sight. Nina's kid brother Teddy "T-Bird" McBricker is a snot-nosed punk definitely headed down the wrong path and looking to hook up with Duke Williamson.  

Duke’s chief enforcer “Deathblow” Ballantine  is also his best fighter and it soon becomes apparent that in order to save T-Bird from his influence, Levi is going to have to take on this mass of killing muscle in a good ol’ fashioned, winner-take-all BROOKLYN BEATDOWN.

35 Writers Who Have Influenced Me The Most

Over at Sean Taylor's excellent Bad Girls, Good Guys and Two-Fisted Action blog he's got this wonderful post "35 Writers Who Have Influenced Me The Most." Operating on my favorite principal that great artists steal, I immediately informed Mr. Taylor I was stealing his topic for my blog. So I'm gonna go over here and cackle evilly while plotting my next theft while you read. Enjoy.

1: Piers Anthony

2: Steven Barnes

3: Leigh Brackett

4: Ray Bradbury

5: Edgar Rice Burroughs

6: Stephen J. Cannell

7: George C. Chesbro

8: Clive Cussler

9: Samuel R. Delaney

10: Lester Dent

11: Alexandre Dumas

12: Will Eisner

13: Harlan Ellison

14: Ian Fleming

15: Dashiell Hammett

16: Chester Himes

17: Robert E. Howard

18: Langston Hughes

19: Joel Jenkins

20: Joe R. Landsdale

21: Stan Lee

22: Robert R. McCammon

23: Walter Mosley

24: Larry McMurtry

25: Michael Moorcock

26: John Ostrander

27: Ishmael Reed

28: Mike Resnick

29: Joshua Reynolds

30: Charles Saunders

31: Jim Steranko

32: Andrew Vachss

33: Jules Verne

34: Cornell Woolrich

35: Roger Zelazny

Sinbad-The New Voyages

SET SAIL FOR ADVENTURE!

Airship 27 Productions announces the release of their newest pulp anthology title, SINBAD – The New Voyages. 

The greatest seafaring adventurer of all times returns to the high seas, Sinbad the Sailor!

Born of countless legends and myths, this fearless rogue sets sail across the seven seas aboard his ship, the Blue Nymph, accompanied by an international crew of colorful, larger-than-life characters. Chief among these are the irascible Omar, a veteran seamen and trusted first mate, the blond Viking giant, Ralf Gunarson, the sophisticated archer from Gaul, Henri Delacrois and the mysterious, lovely and deadly female samurai, Tishimi Osara.  All of them banded together to follow their famous captain on perilous new voyages across the world’s oceans.

“This was another opportunity for us to explore another classic pulp genre,” Managing Editor Ron Fortier explained.  “Fantasy high adventure was a popular setting in many of the more exotic themed pulp titles of the 1930s.  Doing one starring Sinbad seemed a natural choice for us.”

Writers Nancy Hansen, I.A. Watson and Derrick Ferguson offer up three classic Sinbad tales to rival those of legend while adding a familiar sensibility from the cult favorite Sinbad movies of FX master, Ray Harryhausen.  SINBAD – The New Voyages will enthrall and entertain all lovers of fantasy adventure in a brand new way; featuring cover art by Bryan Fowler and twelve black and white illustrations by Ralf van der Hoeven.

“From inception to realization, this was one of the fastest titles we’ve ever put together,” Fortier added.  “In fact we received so many submissions that we had enough to fill two books.  You can expect volume two to sail over the horizon soon.  And we couldn’t be happier.”

So pack up your you traveling bags, bid ado to your loved ones and get ready to sail with the tide as Sinbad El Ari takes the tiller and the Blue Nymph sets sails once more; its destination worlds of wonder, mystery and high adventure.  

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – Pulp Fiction For A New Generation!

Now available as $3 PDF download.

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

From Create Space

(https://www.createspace.com/3988204)

Later from Indy Planet.com POD.

(http://indyplanet.com/store/)

And finally Amazon & Kindle.