I've never read the comic book stuff. I'll have to shceck it
out. And I know of what I speak with the Burke novels, having
read at least 11 of the 17 Burke novels. He kind of went off
the rails after Blue Belle, if you ask me. On a side note,
which of the Burke novels involves a kidnapped girl who, as
an adult, ends up killing her kidnapper in a suicide bombing?
I can't remember.
On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 5:19 PM, Kevin Burton Smith
<
kvnsmith@thrillingdetective.com> wrote:
> Upon being informed Vachss' next Burke would be the
last, Nathan wrote:
>
>> That's only 10 years overdue.
>
> So... how long before some puffball inevitably
asks:
>
>> Out of curiosity, Nathan, what's your
background? Anything
>> interesting at all?
>>
>> As you know perfectly well, Nathan, vitriolic
attacks on eminent
>> authors with no bearing on any of their actual
writing does not
>> constitute an "opinion." It is in fact the
contents of the books I'd
>> be more interested to hear you critique. I'll be
fascinated to hear
>> how you'd improve them.
>
> Hee hee hee....
>
> Actually, kidding aside, Nathan, I more or less
agree with you. I
> liked the early Burkes, as a sorta pure pulp wrap
around a serious
> theme, but they got a little too cartoony and
didactic for me after a
> while. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to laugh or
take notes.
>
> Ironically, his actual comic book work at about the
same time was
> taking a decidedly grittier, less GEE WHIZ tone,
more street level and
> less West Side Story. He had some truly memorable
stories about
> killers, thugs, hookers, junk yard dogs and the
like; short nasty
> little vignettes that stood in sharp contrast to his
increasingly fat
> novels.
>
> In fact, I think his comic book short stories were
rounded up a few
> years back in a collection called HARD LOOK or HARD
LOOKS. Something
> like that. They might still be available. And he
even did a Batman
> graphic novel, about abused children of course, that
was pretty good
> -- and less goofy than some of the Burke novels of
the era. Also worth
> looking for, if you're a Batman or a Vachss
fan.
>
> I know plenty of people here love the Burke books,
so how do the more
> recent books stand up? Maybe Burke will go out with
a real bang.
>
> By the way, before some royal pain misreads YET
ANOTHER of my posts,
> my criticism of some of Burke's work DOES NOT mean I
condone child
> abuse.
>
> Kevin Burton Smith
> www.thrillingdetective.com
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 15 May 2008 EDT