Only Connect: J. Allen St. John

J. Allen St. John was a fine golden age illustrator of fantastic worlds, early adventure fantasy and science fiction. He is most famous for his Tarzan and John Carter of Mars art for Edgar Rice Burrough’s (ERB’s) famous work in novel and pulp magazine form but his influences include Roy G. Krenkel and the imperious Frank Frazetta and he lived through one of the most poerful periods of change in human cultural history.

Writer’s Journal: Steampunk Arm

Steampunk is steadily moving out of its cultish origins. It’s shifted from the Zeppelins and other 20th century technology being transplanted into Victorian times, to a wider range of more interesting modes.

Writer’s Journal | ‘Gallery of Undead’ Concept Art

Concept art is a great way to feel your way into a story. I’ve been experimenting with different styles recently, mainly as a way of growing into the skin of some tales in the Echoes series, featuring Hunter and Bain. In Gallery of Undead the main characters find their way into a listing hulk and encounter a ghoulish gallery of …

Man of Steel: Movie Review

Bombastic, fantastic and heroic Man of Steel brings Superman back to the silver screen, without having the temerity to name him. It’s been a box office hit so far ($600m + wordwide income), despite some critical snarking. The first third of the movie gives us the full origin story with long, lush scenes on Krypton showing a planet falling apart, and …