The inaugural issue of Dark
Corners begins with an introduction that makes it clear that all genres
are welcome as everything and anything goes in this pulp fiction reading fest.
Along with fiction that goes anywhere and is often a bit surreal, there are
interviews, reviews, and essays on various topics. That introduction by CT McNeely
is followed by additional introductions by Emily J. McNeely and Steve Gallagher
before one finally gets to the stories.
In “Company Man” by Tom Pitts, Jerry
does not believe he is a serial killer. Rico would disagree and does though he
does not push it as one does not push Jerry where he is gearing up for a job.
All Rico wants to do is point out the guy to Jerry and be done with it, but
that isn’t going to be nearly enough.
Cameron knew the creative writing
instructor had to die “Short and Choppy” by Will Viharo. It wasn’t just because
Sean, the writing instructor, is a condescending prick who wrote crap, got
famous, and now gets paid to look down at everyone else literally and figuratively
that makes the mistake of taking his class. But, that is one very good reason.
There are several more.
Bump hasn’t been around Kristos very
long so he didn’t know what to expect. The last couple of hours have been a
real criminal education in “Columbus Day” by Alec Cizak.
Telling you parents about your
addiction and rehab is tough. At least they seem supportive once the shock
wears off in “Domestic Tableau” by Warren Moore.
Fiction quickly becomes reality in
“The Husband Killers” by Deborah Lacy. Lilly Forrester did the actual writing,
but because of the way the book came about is forced to share credit. Three
authors were involved in the collaborative effort that is about to become all too
real.
It is 1955 in “Cold War Cowboy” by
Jenean McBrearty. Carol Simmons is real
trouble and Mike had no idea the kind of ride she had in mind once they get to
California.
Somebody keeps nailing dead critters
to the apartment door in “Another Night in the Life of the Lonely” by Angel
Luis Colón. The person hanging them on his door is probably not the old biddy downstairs
who keeps calling noise complaints while Ian is at work.
When Kayla was born, things seemed
to be good for Norman and his wife. When they go bad, they go very bad in
“Don’t Call Me Daughter” by Thomas Kearnes.
It is very cold in Pittsburgh as
“The Men in the Room” by Michael McGlade begins. Isabelle Shaw has agreed to
meet Jacob Weitz in the downtown diner to hear what he has to say. He already
hasn’t been doing what she told him to do to stay safe. Yet another guy who
won’t listen. She meets a lot of them in her time of work.
Seven years later Collins didn’t
recognize Ellen or Parker at first. “This Business of Revenge” by Joseph
Goodrich explains what happens next in the Texas heat.
He had a damn good reason to stab
his wife in “Adele” by Vito Racanelli. Frank Sommers is a NYPD officer in the
NYPD in the 76th folks are inclined to believe the story he tells.
Things are far more complicated then what he tells investigators.
These days the Baltic in downtown
Vancouver is long past its prime. Ellen Teague runs the place and called in Mr.
Wakeland to talk to one of the tenants in “Next to Nothing” by Sean Wiebe.
Wakeland is a private detective who once knew Mr. Jacks’ son and by extension
knew Mr. Jacks. Teague would much rather Wakeland handle whatever problem is
going on rather than the police as they can create other issues.
Rona messes with him in every way
possible in “No Rest for the Wicked” by Scott Grand. Estelle is also a problem.
The man in black has a solution for everything.
“Voice of God” by Andrew Hilbert
comes next where the urge to kill just keeps getting stronger. That urge begins
with a bird and Geni and her husband are forever changed.
The guys have a long standing tradition
on the wedding night. The one known to
all as Thumper should have known what was up in “The Nantahala Kidnapping” by Gary L. Robbe. Maybe he did
remember and thought it didn’t matter anymore as he doesn’t want to be called
Thumper either. For a smart guy he just doesn’t get it and that is too damn
bad.
John Jersey is always in the break
room at 10:30 at night before his shift begins at 11. His dietary habits are just
one of the issues at play in “Milk and Turpentine” by Chuck Regan.
Harper is very neurotic in “Off,
Park and Up” by Martin Zeigler. His behavior is really screwing up plans for
movie day.
How much it cost is calculable in
“And We Bestowed Upon it The Name of Vengeance” by Ryan Sayles. It is clear the
cost was huge for the volunteer and the scientists.
Clint and Cole were broke in “Pig’s
Eye” by Mark Rapacz. It was a bad plan hatched by way too much alcohol and far too much desperation. Clint is lucky to be
alive afterwards.
The bank has been robbed and Sheriff
Henderson has a plan and urges all to be calm. He might not be so calm if he
knew what really has happened in “Horse Sense” by Bruce Harris.
A man has died on the assembly line
in “Witch’s Hat Trick” by William E. Wallace. Safety Officer Yuri Kuznetsov
needs to make sure because just maybe he is still alive. Yuri has a gift, but
it is one that can also make his life very complicated.
Part one of a novella titled “The
Burning Lungs of Avalloch: A Fist and Planet Novella” by CT McNeely comes next.
Logan Pike is far from home or anything he recognizes. The only thing he knows
for sure is that he is no longer in California. When he intervenes in an
altercation he soon makes himself an enemy of powerful local who seems to be in
charge on everything and everyone. Logan Pike is a stranger in a strange land and
has no idea who to trust.
Nate Gelder once was a wizard to be
reckoned with in “The Wizard of Odds” by Joe Kraus. His power has weakened. Now
he has made a possibly fatal mistake.
Father Pablo Martinez has been
watching the lone rider approaching on horseback
for almost a half an hour. Nobody comes to the old Spanish mission without
making a serious effort. That is what bought Martinez there years ago in “Pups
and Hounds” by Chris Leek.
The stories are followed by an
interview with Chris Leek that concentrates in large part on his book Gospel
of the Bullet. That leads into a review of the book by CT McNeely.
That leads into an essay on Zelmer
Pulp which is a collection that includes some authors in this premier issue of Dark Corners.
CT McNeeely charts the history of Zelmer Pulp and details the backgrounds of
those involved.
That is followed by an interview
with Mark Rapacz. Tongue-Cat Ninja is a major subject of the interview before
being reviewed by CT McNeely. That leads into Ct McNeely’s reviews of Buffalo Bill in the Gallery of the Machines
as well as City Kaiju both by Mark Rapacz.
Chris Rhatigan comes next with a
reflective piece in “My History in the Crime Fiction Scene.”
CT McNeely is up next with a piece
of “Will Viharo: Unsung Hero of the Pulps.” McNeely gives some of the
background on the author who contributed “Short and Choppy” to this issue.
CT McNeely then reviews Broken
Glass Waltzes by Warren Moore as well as The Last of the Independents
by Sam Wiebe.
Greg Barth reviews The
Deep Blue Good-by by John D. McDonald.
Dyer Wilk reviews “The Executioners”
by John D. McDonald.
Short bios of the contributors bring
the issue to a close. Filled with interesting and, at times, surreal stories
that cross genre lines, reviews, interviews, and quite a lot more, the first issue of Dark Corners is a pot
luck pulp fest. Graphic at times in terms of language and descriptions, it
certainly isn’t something for all readers. If you like your tales with a bit of
an edge and prefer them not to fit inside easily labeled categories, this 272
page zine might be the one for you.
Dark Corners, Volume 1, Issue 1
(Dark Corners Pulp Magazine)
Edited by CT McNeely, Emily J. McNeely
and Steve Gallagher
Self-Published
ASIN: B00NYOHW64
September
2014
E-Book
(also available in print)
272
Pages
$0.99
I picked this up back in August to read and review using funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2015
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