With the Buffalo Bills defeating the Jets 21-12, the Bills surprisingly find themselves in First Place in the AFC East. Reality sets in this week as the Bills travel to Carolina to face the Panthers. The Bills are 7 1/2 point underdogs (which is about right). New Head Coach Sean McDermott was the Defensive Coordinator of the Carolina Panthers for six seasons so he knows the ordeal he has in front of him this week. How will your favorite NFL team do this week?

I don’t know how Robin, The Boy Wonder: A Celebration of 75 Years slipped past my radar back in 2015. I’ve always been a Batman fan. I started reading comic books back in the 1950s. I loved the style and stories of DC Comics in the early 1960s. But, by the 1970s, I pretty much stopped reading comic books and switched almost exclusively to paperbacks. That’s one reason why Robin, The Boy Wonder, in full color, provides so much fun! Most of the stories in this collection are new to me. Robin has gone through several metamorphoses. DC Comics finally allowed Robin to “grow up” in the 1980s and he became NIGHTWING. For a character to stay viable and interesting over 75 years is quite a feat. A Celebration of 75 Years series includes volumes on Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash, The Joker, Wonder Woman, and Green Arrow. It’s an impressive series! If you’re a fan of Batman and Robin, you’ll find hours of enjoyment between these covers! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
PART ONE: DICK GRAYSON 6
Detective Comics #38 – “Robin, the Boy Wonder” (1940) 9
Batman #20 – “Bruce Wayne Loses the Guardianship of Dick Grayson!” (1943) 22
Star-Spangled Comics #82 – “The Boy Who Hated Robin!” (1948) 34
Star-Spangled Comics #86 – “The Barton Brothers!” (1948) 44
Star-Spangled Comics #103 – “Roberta, the Girl Wonder!” (1950) 54
Batman #107 – “The Grown-Up Boy Wonder” (1957) 64
Batman #156 – “Robin Dies at Dawn” (1963) 73
Detective Comics #342 – “The Midnight Raid of the Robin Gang!” (1965) 91
Batman Family #1 – “The Invader from Hell!” (1975) 106
Nightwing (Volume 2) #101 – “Nightwing: Year One – Chapter One: Only Robins Have Wings” (2005) 125
PART II: JASON TODD 148
Batman #408 – “Did Robin Die Tonight?” (1987) 150
Batman #424 – “The Diplomat’s Son” (1988) 160
Batman #428 – “A Death in the Family Chapter 5” (1988) 183
PART III: TIM DRAKE 2O6
Batman #442 – “A Lonely Place of Dying Chapter Five: Rebirth” (1989) 208
Robin (Volume 4) #46 – “Dark at Dawn” (1997) 231
Nightwing (Volume 2) #25 – “The Boys” (1998) 255
Superman/Batman #7 – “Protege” (2004) 278
PART IV: DAMIAN WAYNE 302
Batman #657 – “Batman & Son Part 3: Wonderboys” (2006) 304
Superman/Batman #77 – “Fright Knight” (2010) 327
Batman and Robin Annual (Volume 2) #1 – “Batman Impossible” (2013) 351
PART V: OTHER ROBINS 390
Justice League of America #55 – “The Super-Crisis That Struck Earth-Two!” (1967) 392
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #2 – “Dark Knight Triumphant” (1986) 416
DC One Million 80-Page Giant #1000000 – “Head Games” (1999) 445
Robin (Volume 4) #126 – “A Life More Ordinary” (2004) 456

Volume Two of the complete Polesotechnic League novels and stories that Poul Anderson wrote over four decades focuses on David Falkayn, a younger version of galactic trader Nicholas van Rijn. Falkayn has his own personality and goals (which sometimes conflict with his boss, van Rijn). Falkayn and his team–Adzel, a large, armored dragon-like being who practices Buddhism, and Chee-Lan, a brilliant cat-like extraterrestrial with Anger Management issues–explore deep space for trading opportunities. Of course, they run into plenty of adventure and peril. Once again, BAEN Books offers a wonderful book at a bargain price! Hank Davis puts the Falkayn stories into the context of the Polesotehcnic League saga. If you’re looking for SF adventure stories with a Sense of Wonder, you’ll find them in David Falkayn, Star Trader. GRADE: A-
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction: High Profits and High Adventure By Hank Davis vii
1. Territory 1
2. Trouble Twisters 77
3. Day of Burning 209
5. The Master Key 275
6. Satan’s World 329
7. A Little Knowledge 599
8. Lodestar 633
9. Chronology of the Technic Civilization Compiled by Sandra Miesel 683

Every Summer, there seems to be a song that captures the spirit of the season. A few years ago Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry” could be heard on the sun-kissed streets of Western New York. A couple years ago, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” dominated the airwaves and downloads. I suppose it started back in 1966 with the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer in the City.”

My nomination for Summer Song 2017 is “Yes” by Sam Feldt featuring Akon. Happy, bouncy, merry music! Do you have a favorite Summer Song?

Shakespeare vs. Cthulhu is a Kickstarter project that gets some things Right and some things Wrong. My favorite stories in this uneven anthology blend elements from Shakespeare’s plays and some Lovecraftean menace. I liked “Once More Unto the Breach” by C. L. Werner that features Henry V at Agincourt. Henry is vastly outnumbered by the French forces, but the appearance of one of Cthulhu’s minions changes everything. Guy Haley’s “A Reckoning” reveals the dark bargain between the Lovecraftean dwellers of the sea and evil humans. James Lovegrove’s “Exit, Pursed By…?” captures some of the style of Lovecraft in his tale. The best realization of Shakespeare as a character can be found in Josh Reynolds’s “A Tiger’s Heart, A Player’s Hide.” The other stories either didn’t capture the essence of Lovecraft or Shakespeare. GRADE: B
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction: That Way Madness Lies, by Mr Jonathan Green 1
Prologue: Star-Crossed, by Mr Jonathan Oliver 3
Act One
A Madness Most Discreet, by Mr Michael Carroll 33
Something Rotten, by Mr Adrian Tchaikovsky 57
Once More Unto the Breach, by Mr C L Werner 69
A Tiger’s Heart, A Player’s Hide, by Mr Josh Reynolds 93
Interlude: What Dreams May Come, by Mistress Nimue Brown 117
Act Two
The Ia’s of March, by Mr Andrew Lane 121
The Undiscovered Country, by Mr Ian Edginton 147
The Suns of York, by Mr Adrian Chamberlin 161
A Reckoning, by Mr Guy Haley 191
Interlude: The Green-Ey’d Monster, by Mistress Danie Ware 215
Act Three
Exit, pursued by…?, by Mr James Lovegrove 219
The King in Yellow Stockings, by Mr Ed Fortune 245
The Terrors of the Earth, by Mr Pat Kelleher 251
Exeunt, by Mr John Reppion 277
Epilogue: Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Mr Graham McNeill 303
Curtain: #Tempest, by Mistress Jan Siegel 331
Dramatis Personae
About the Authors
About the Illustrators
About the Editor
Acknowledgements
Kickstarter Backers

This set of The Killers includes two movie versions of Ernest Hemingway’s famous short story. Robert Siodmak’s 1946 version of The Killers features Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, and William Conrad. Woody Bredell’s luminous black & white cinematography accentuates the starkness of this bleak film.

Don Siegel’s 1964 film was made for television. I love the cast: Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, John Cassavetes…and Ronald Reagan! This new Criterion Collection edition looks great on a 4K HDTV! If you’re in the mood for noir, here are two excellent versions of Hemingway’s noirish short story. Do you have a favorite work by Ernest Hemingway? GRADE: A (for both)

Judith Newman struggles to raise her autistic son, Gus. Then, one day while Judith is talking on iPhone, Gus asks her a question (he asks his mother a lot of questions!) and Siri thinks the question is directed at her so she answers it. Suddenly, Judith realizes Siri could help her with Gus. To Siri With Love shows how technology can assist with children and adults with autism. This book is based on an article Judith Newman wrote for the New York Times and the article became one of the most popular on the paper’s web site. Judith then expanded the article into this slim book. I found Judith, her twin sons, and her husband all very quirky people. But I admire how they’ve all worked together to raise a child with autism. Informative and inspiring! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Author’s Note ix
Introduction xiii
one | OH NO 1
two | WHY? 17
three | AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN 29
four | I. TUNES 47
five | VROOM 63
six | BLUSH 79
seven | GO 91
eight | DOC 109
nine | SNORE 121
ten | TO SIRI WITH LOVE 131
eleven | WORK IT 143
twelve | CHUMS 157
thirteen | GETTING SOME 173
fourteen | TOAST 191
fifteen | BYE 203
Acknowledgements 217
Resource List 223

Surprisingly, the Buffalo Bills are 9 1/2 point favorites over the New York Jets. What a wild and weird Off Season the Buffalo Bills experienced! Head Coach Rex Ryan was fired after last season’s debacles. New Head Coach, Sean McDermott, former Defensive Coordinator with the Carolina Panthers, contends with personnel problems. New General Manager, Brandon Beane (also from the Carolina Panthers), traded away the Bills’s best player, often injured Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins. Beane also traded the Bills’s best cornerback, Ronald Darby, to the Eagles for a wide receiver who was injured in his first Bills practice. Bad Luck continues to dog the Bills.

In the Third Preseason Game, two of the three Bills Quarterbacks got concussions. Today, which QB will start against the Jets depends on where the players are in their Concussion Protocols. How will your favorite NFL team fare today?

This 2016 Smithsonian Channel documentary chronicles two projects: rebuilding the bridge of the original Enterprise and restoring the original USS Enterprise model. Most of the Star Trek props and sets were thrown in the dumpster when the series folded after three seasons. Tracking down an original phaser and a tricorder take suspenseful twists. Rebuilding the original model of the Enterprise at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum presents even more challenges. Astronauts, engineers, writers, and some Star Trek stars lie Nichelle Nichols (Lieutenant Uhura) and Simon Pegg (Scotty in the Star Trek reboot). If you’re a Trekkie, you’ll enjoy this. What’s your favorite Star Trek episode? GRADE: B+

“Hercule Poirot meets Fox Mulder in these 19 pulpy tales from 1929-30, the second of five volumes reprinting the complete adventures of occult sleuth Dr. Jules de Grandin.” This quote is from the Kirkus review that captures the essence of Seabury Quinn’s stories. If taken in moderation, these tales can be fun reading. They follow a similar template so reading too many of these stories at one time can become tedious. I recommend one Dr. Jules de Grandin story per week. Night Shade Books is doing a fine job reprinting this series in chronological order. The hardcover editions are sturdy and well-made. And priced right! Many small presses reprint pulp tales and charge exorbitant prices ($100 and up!) while AMAZON is selling this edition for $22.35 (a bargain for a book of this quality!). If you’re in the mood for some spooky stories, you’ll find them in The Devil’s Rosary. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction-George A. Vanderburgh and Robert E. Weinberg
“Loved by Thousands of Readers”: The Popularity of Jules de Grandin-Stefan Dziemianowicz
1929
The Black Master (Weird Tales, January 1929)
The Devil People (Weird Tales, February 1929)
The Devil’s Rosary (Weird Tales, April 1929)
The House of Golden Masks (Weird Tales, June 1929)
The Corpse Master (Weird Tales, July 1929)
Trespassing Souls (Weird Tales, September 1929)
The Silver Countess (Weird Tales, October 1929)
The House Without a Mirror (Weird Tales, November 1929)
Children of Ubasti (Weird Tales, December 1929)
1930
The Curse of the House of Phipps (Weird Tales, January 1930)
The Drums of Damballah (Weird Tales, March 1930)
The Dust of Egypt (Weird Tales, April 1930)
The Brain-Thief (Weird Tales, May 1930)
The Priestess of the Ivory Feet (Weird Tales, June 1930)
The Bride of Dewer (Weird Tales, July 1930)
Daughter of the Moonlight (Weird Tales, August 1930)
The Druid’s Shadow (Weird Tales, October 1930)
Stealthy Death (Weird Tales, November 1930)
The Wolf of St. Bonnot (Weird Tales, December 1930)