Many articles about Darwyn Cooke have appeared since his untimely passing ten days ago. Below are excerpts and links to some of the best, with a slight bias for mentions of his work on the Parker graphic novels. If you doubt the impact Darwyn had on fans, colleagues, friends and the comics industry as a whole, read on. George Gene Gustines Read More …
Darwyn Cooke, the highly regarded award-winning graphic artist who brought Parker to a whole new generation of fans, passed away on Saturday in the early morning. He had been battling an aggressive form of lung cancer. On Friday, his wife, Marsha, posted the following message on Darwyn’s blog: It is with tremendous sadness that we announce Darwyn is now receiving Read More …
Don had long maintained that he would not allow the name “Parker” to be used in a film unless the filmmakers agreed to produce a series instead of another one-off. The producers of the recent Jason Statham film, Parker, did just that and thus were allowed to use the name. But they weren’t the first production team working in a Read More …
Back on March 11, when this website was still in the throes of technical difficulties, I had the pleasure of joining in on a podcast discussion of The Comedy is Finished with Jesse Willis from SFF Audio and Trent Reynolds from The Violent World of Parker. Both gentlemen are well-read, insightful and great fun to chat with and listen to. Read More …
Been a long time getting this site back to normal. Lots of updates while it was in safe mode. There will definitely be separate blog posts coming in the near future but, for now, here’s an annotated list of the doings in the past few months… Violent World of Parker Happy Birthday to Donald Westlake [Editor’s note: Special thanks Read More …
After a long delay, I hope to reset the site with a new host very soon. Meanwhile, here’s an interview I did with Maxim Jakubowski while on a recent trip through London. Until 2009, Maxim was the owner of the Murder One Bookshop on Charring Cross Road in London. The store had to close due to the pressures of big Read More …
@ExtAngel Glenn Kenny Goddamnit. I should never go to the gym while I’m in the MIDDLE of a Richard Stark novel. 14 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® @WDGagliani W.D. Gagliani Openings: John Dortmunder was a man on whom the sun shone only when he needed darkness. / Donald Westlake, Bad News, 2001 ((I can relate!)) 16 Nov via Read More …
By Daniela Gitlin on her blog Westlake wrote quirky, smart stories about quirky, smart people living full lives outside the law. Sure, they go down quick and easy as escapist trash. But to think they are trash would be a mistake, like falling for Columbo’s dull bulb act. Single-handed creator of the comedic caper and noir crime fiction, Westlake Read More …
From Seacoast Online – Portsmouth, NH Even with more than 3,000 titles in Mainely Murders and 10,000 in their ever-expanding collection, Keeney and Whetstone admit there are books they will never sell. “I collect Richard Stark, which is another name for Donald Westlake. He was among the first of the good and bad guys. He’s a robber and Read More …
by Ed Gorman (on his blog) How’s this for an opener? I’m about to review the worst book Donald E. Westlake ever wrote. Don’t take my word for it. Here’s Westlake himself speaking. “I spoiled a book by having him do something he wouldn’t do. The sixth book in the series is called The Jugger, and that book Read More …
by Josie Campbell, Staff Writer for Comic Book Resources At the 2011 Long Beach Comic Con, artist Darwyn Cooke and IDW Publishing Special Projects Editor Scott Dunbier joined forces on the Darwyn Cooke panel to talk about Cooke’s ongoing IDW work adapting author Richard Stark AKA Donald Westlake’s “Parker” novels into graphic novel form. Immediately opening the Read More …
