The Pulp Super-Fan: Lazarus Gray 14

Michael Brown, aka the Pulp Super-Fan posted the following at ThePulp.Net:

Recently we got a new Lazarus Gray book: The Adventures of Lazarus Gray, Vol. 14, from Barry Reese. This one has a novel: Lazarus Gray vs. Fantômas.

Lazarus Gray is a New Pulp character from Reese (The Peregrine, Gravedigger, and other characters and works). Gray is sort of inspired by the classic pulp hero The Avenger and has a group of associates organized as Assistance Unlimited.

Gray is located in a fictional town called Sovereign City (created by Pro Se Press publisher Tommy Hancock), and thus is part of the larger Sovereign City Project. He is also set in the same universe as Barry’s other characters, so has crossed over with them.

In addition to the current members of Assistance Unlimited: Morgan Watts (now the new leader of AU), Eun Jiwon, Samantha Grace, Abigail Cross, The Black Terror (absent here), Wynonna Jones, The Observer (formerly The Eidolon), and the Blue Flame. We get a new member in Daredevil, the classic Golden Age comicbook character (not the Marvel comics character).

This story, set mainly in 1944, has Lazarus come up against Fantômas. Yes, the French proto-pulp criminal and terrorist is coming for Lazarus. And it is somehow connected to his uncle, whom we meet for the first time in flashbacks. Fantômas forms a new version of Murder Unlimited to attack Lazarus, consisting of a woman named Black Diamond, Count Orlick, and Lazarus’ uncle.

But what is the aim of Fantômas? He attacks other Sovereign City heroes as well as AU. Along the way, a member of AU as well as one of their support staff is killed. Can they figure out what Fantômas wants and put an end to his reign of terror?

The epilogue gives us a small hint of what will happen in the next volume, with the appearance of another Golden Age comicbook character. I can’t wait to see it.

The timeline at the end of the volume has been updated, with three more Straw-Man volumes, and five volumes of a new series called “The Dark Society.” I have no idea when these will appear.

Michael has been a tremendous supporter of both classic and new pulps over the years and I’m always pleased when he takes the time to look at one of my books. Hopefully you’ll see those Straw-Man and Dark Society books soon!

Another 5-Star Review!

Ray Bara has posted a review of Lazarus Gray 14 over on Amazon. He gave the book 5 stars and titled his review Fantomas terrorizes Sovereign City. Here’s the rest of his review:

Barry Reese keeps churning out amazing Lazarus Gray adventures! In Volume 14, Reese brings legendary villain Fantomas into the Lazarus Gray rogues gallery. Fantomas is pure evil, to be sure, and Reese showcases that evil here. It seems as though Fantomas is going to kill off all of Assistance Unlimited, and their loved ones, before this one’s through. While he doesn’t quite kill them all, the death count is high and the good guys are on the ropes throughout this tale. There’s a Volume 15, so Lazarus probably makes it through this one, but it’s not a sure thing. Great job Mr. Reese. Keep the Lazarus Gray train chugging along!

Thanks, Ray! I had so much fun pitting our heroes against Fantomas. He’s such a dangerous foe and I knew that if Lazarus was going to defeat him, it would have to be an epic battle. Glad you enjoyed it!

Lazarus 14 Gets Reviewed!

Longtime reader ChickJ posted a review of Lazarus Gray 14. Let’s see what he had to say:

Pure pulp written by a master!

5 stars

Action, magic, heroes, villains written smoothly. The dialogue was perfect. Not all doom and gloom or all humorous silliness. A great balance. I missed Lazarus Gray more than I thought. You will care for the characters, surprises await. Just a superb pulp for your enjoyment. Highly recommended.

Thank you so much! It’s always fun for me to return to Lazarus and company – glad you agreed. I tried to not only balance all the various characters but I knew that Fantomas might possibly make this story a very grim one — so I made a conscious effort to include enough hopefulness to keep it from tipping too far into that direction.

Thanks again for the kind words.

Updates!

Thrilled that the fourteenth book in the Lazarus Gray series is finally out — I wanted to do something really special for that volume and pitting Lazarus against one of the greatest fictional villains of all time seemed the perfect way to do it. The story has twists-and-turns aplenty, revealing more about Lazarus Gray’s family tree and introducing some new villains along the way… and it wouldn’t be a Fantomas story without some deaths, too. Be prepared to say goodbye to a longstanding supporting cast member or two….

I’m working on the sixth book in the Dark Society series, which you’re still a few years away from being introduced to. When I’m finished with this one, I think I’ll either do something completely new or return to the Lazarus Gray series for volume sixteen (yes, fifteen has already been written!).

I think Straw-Man Volume Two is going to be the next Reese Unlimited release but for now, let’s focus on spreading the word about Lazarus Gray 14!

Press Release: Lazarus Gray vs. Fantomas!

SOVEREIGN CITY’S GREATEST HERO TAKES ON FICTION’S MOST HEINOUS VILLAIN! THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY VOLUME FOURTEEN DEBUTS! PRO SE’S ‘THE YEAR OF REESE UNLIMITED’ BEGINS!

From the author imprint of scribe Barry Reese comes perhaps his greatest and best-known creation in yet another collection of action and pulp intrigue. THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY VOLUME FOURTEEN!

He is a legend mentioned in fearful whispers. He is a faceless, heartless, savage destructive force of nature. If the Devil were vomited from the darkest pit of Hell into this man’s path, he would grudgingly concede that he encountered a creature whose soul was black with deeds so cruel that they made him turn away in disgust.

In the City of Light, he is a darkness unending, but he has turned his gaze towards a goal that lies an ocean away in Sovereign City, and he will not be denied. He is an unrelenting evil known to many by a single name.

FANTOMAS.

And he is unlike any foe that Lazarus Gray and Assistance Unlimited has ever faced.

THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY VOLUME FOURTEEN by Barry Reese, from Reese Unlimited and Pro Se Productions, is the first volume in Pro Se’s ‘THE YEAR OF REESE UNLIMITED’. Twelve works written by or based on concepts created by Barry Reese as a part of his author imprint will be released, once a month, throughout 2024.

With an atmospheric, gritty cover by Gilbert Monsanto and print formatting by Sean Ali, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY VOLUME FOURTEEN is available for 12.99 via Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/2n7dp37n.

Reese’s latest entry in his longest running series to date is also available on Kindle formatted by Antonino lo Iacono and Marzia Marina for $2.99 at http://tinyurl.com/3taywkr2. Kindle Unlimited Members can read this exciting tale for free!

For more information on this title, interviews with the author, or digital copies for review, email editorinchief@prose-press.com.

To learn more about Pro Se Productions, go to http://www.prose-press.com. Like Pro Se on Facebook at Pro Se Productions.

Lazarus Gray 14

Edits on the 14th volume of Lazarus Gray have been completed! Personally, I think this is one of the strongest volumes in the series — and I guess that I can go ahead and announce that this time Lazarus will be facing one of the greatest criminal minds in all of adventure fiction: Fantômas! If you’re not familiar with this master criminal, he was created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914). One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas debuted in 1911 and appeared in a total of 32 volumes written by the two collaborators, then a subsequent 11 volumes written by Allain alone after Souvestre’s death. The character was also the basis of various film, television, and comic book adaptations.

How and why Fantômas comes to Sovereign City will be detailed in the novel, which will feature two major character deaths and the addition of a new member to the Assistance Unlimited team, as well as a new recurring supporting character.

Can’t wait for you guys to read it!