THE GUN MAN JACKSON SWAGGER: A WESTERN by Stephen Hunter

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THE GUN MAN JACKSON SWAGGER: A WESTERN by Stephen Hunter

First sentences…

The sun was a blowtorch, scorching the Arizona Territory crisp.  Sagebrush, some living, some dead, bounced indifferently about the raw landscape.  While most of America prospered in the wonderful year of 1897, here vegetation turned brittle while the once abundant and variegated cacti had retreated within themselves, their spindly arms forming structures more appropriate to crucifixion than blossom.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

1897.  The Arizona Territory.  Due to a prolonged draught survival is tough.  Homes and even towns are left abandoned when residents left for a better climate.  Only rare rough railroad construction towns called railheads and Colonel Callahan’s massive ranch thrive.

Railheads are not towns really.  More like flophouses, whorehouses and taverns clustered together.  They’re inhabited by the lawless, rough railroad construction workers who come in to spend their week’s pay.

Colonel Callahan’s ranch prospers.  It’s the largest spread in the Arizona territory.  Callahan makes a good living raising and marketing his cattle. But cattle isn’t all Callahan deals in.  He’s also has secret (and illegal) dealings across the border in Mexico.  Callahan employs ranch hands, cowboys, but most importantly gunmen.  The only job these gunfighters have is to protect all that Callahan owns.  Callahan’s top man and best with a gun is Tom Voth.

When a cowboy rides in looking for work, Voth is ready to send him on his way.  The stranger says his name is Jack.  Jack looks like a drifter.  Hardened, yes.  Tough looking yes.  But old.  Jack must be pushing sixty.  Voth says, unless Jack is good with a gun, they can’t use him.    Jack says he’s good with a gun and calm when bullets fly.  Voth is doubtful.  Jack doesn’t wear a gun.  Turns out Jack pawned his guns to survive.

Voth calls for a rife.  Jack takes the carbine and proceeds to amaze Voth with his shooting accuracy.  Voth takes Jack to Mr. Callahan for a final interview.  Callahan is impressed and hires Jack.

What they don’t know is the drifter Jack is actually Jack Swagger a feared gunfighter and he’s come to Callahan’s ranch on a personal mission.

Saddle up!

+++

I’m a fan of Stephen Hunter’s Swagger novels.  It is such a cool idea to follow the Swagger family tree.  It allows Hunter to write novels in different eras that are anchored by the Swagger family.

So far we have…

  • Jackson Swagger: a cowboy in the 1890s
  • Charles Swagger: a World War II sniper
  • Earl Swagger: a famous Arkansas State Trooper and Charles’ son
  • Bob Lee Swagger: a legendary sniper in Viet Nam pulled in to several adventures after the war.  He is Earl’s son.
  • Ray Cruz: a FBI agent and Bob Lee’s son.

Stephen Hunter’s Swagger novel are instant purchases for me.  I’ve loved every one.  THE GUN MAN JACKSON SWAGGER: A WESTERN is another winner.

Rating:

“The Dead Zone” directed by David Cronenberg; starring Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe, Colleen Dewhurst and Martin Sheen / Z-View

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The Dead Zone (1983)

Director: David Cronenberg

Screenplay:  Jeffrey Boam; based on THE DEAD ZONE by Stephen King

Stars:  Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe, Colleen Dewhurst and Martin Sheen.

Tagline: In his mind, he has the power to see the future. In his hands, he has the power to change it.

The Plot…

Everything is going great for Johnny.  He’s got a job teaching at a local school.  He’s in love with Sarah, a teacher at the same school and she’s in love with him.  Soon they will be married.

After a date with Sarah, as Johnny is driving home, a freak auto accident occurs.  Johnny survives, but is left in a coma.  When Johnny wakes up…

… FIVE YEARS HAVE PASSED.

Johnny has lost more than time.  He learns Sarah is married and has a child.  The wreck left him with a limp.  His full physical recovery will take time.  Yes, Johnny lost a lot.  But he also gained a power.  When Johnny makes physical contact with a person, he sometimes sees glimpses of their future.

Rumors spread about the man who cheated death who can now see the future.  Some people are doubtful.  Others think Johnny has been granted evil powers.  Still others want Johnny to see their future so they can gain from the insight.

Sheriff Bannerman is skeptical, but has nothing to lose.   A serial killer continues to kill and leaves no clues.  Johnny reluctantly agrees to assist Bannerman.  Along the way, Johnny discovers something even more deadly than a sadistic killer.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

When Johnny first discovers his new power, he sees a child trapped in a burning room.  As Johnny witnesses this vision, sweat breaks out all over his face.  The “sweat” is actually a flame retardant put on Christopher Walken to protect him from the flames.  It turned out to be a happy accident since it created a cool effect that wasn’t intentional.

THE DEAD ZONE  was the first Stephen King novel to reach #1 on the best selling hardcover list.

Christopher Walken was an excellent choice to play Johnny.

Martin Sheen plays Greg Stillson, a shyster politician running for President. Sixteen years later, Sheen began playing President Josiah Bartlet on the West Wing.

The Dead Zone is my favorite film directed by David Cronenberg.

The Dead Zone (1983) rates 5 of 5 stars.

Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rope” Alt Poster by Sahin Düzgün!

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Rope is perhaps Alfred Hitchcock’s most under-rated film.  It’s one I love and enjoy revisiting. Sahin Düzgün has created a very cool alt poster tribute to the movie.

Here is what Sahin had to say about his design:  A visual exploration of Hitchcock’s classic psychological thriller.

Brandon: Nobody commits a murder just for the experiment of committing it. Nobody except us.

“Assistant Wives” (1927) starring Charley Chase / Z-View

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Assistant Wives (1927)

Director: James Parrott

Screenplay:  H.M. Walker

Stars:  Charley Chase, Edna Marion, Anita Garvin.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Charley and his bride are just getting by.  Charley needs a raise and figures if he can buddy-up to his boss, it will come.  He invites his boss to dinner.  Because of a misunderstanding, the boss thinks a waitress at the diner across the street is Charley’s wife.

Charley figures this could work to his advantage.  Since the boss likes the waitress, Charley offers her a payday if she acts as his wife over dinner.  Things go sideways when Charley’s wife and the waitress’ boyfriend see Charley and the waitress getting chummy.

Dinner is served!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Charley Chase was an writer, director and actor.  Although he died at a relatively young age (46), his resume includes 282 acting roles, 174 films as a director and 37 as writer.

Assistant Wives was directed by Charley Chase’s brother.

Assistant Wives (1927) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Trap House” starring Dave Bautista, Jack Champion, Sophia Lillis, Whitney Peak, Kate del Castillo and Bobby Cannavale / Z-View

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Trap House (2025)

Director:  Michael Dowse

Screenplay: Gary Scott Thompson, Tom O’Connor; story by Gary Scott Thompson.

Stars:  Dave Bautista, Jack Champion, Sophia Lillis, Tony Dalton, Whitney Peak, Inde Navarrette, Zaire Adams, Kate del Castillo and Bobby Cannavale.

Tagline: This isn’t a raid, it’s a reckoning.

The Plot…

Ray Seale is a DEA Agent.  On one of his drug house raids, they encountered heavy resistance.  One of his agents was killed.  Ray’s son, Cody, attended high school with the killed agent’s son.  Cody was upset that his friend’s family would now face financial hardship and the DEA wasn’t doing anything to help.

When Ray takes Cody to an active crime scene, Cody gets an idea.  He and his high school friends will use DEA info and equipment to rip off cartel drug houses.  They will give the drug money they steal  to his friend’s family.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I like Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale.  Bautista and director, Michael Douse worked together on Stuber, which I rated 3 of 5 stars.  Unfortunately Trap House fell short.  I tapped out early on.

Bautista takes his son to an active crime scene and let’s him walk around?  The high school kids are smarter than the DEA agents?  They are easily able to get DEA equipment?  Without any experience they are able to take down cartel houses?  Yeah, no.

As always, your mileage may differ.

Trap House (2025) rates 1 of 5 stars.

Sly Stallone is “Cobra” by Mark Stegbauer!

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At HeroesCon 2026, I commissioned Mark Stegbauer for two sketch cards: Sly Stallone as Marion Cobretti from Cobra and Stallone as Stanley Kowalski from Lords of Flatbush.  You probably think that you’re looking at the Cobra commission.

If so, you’re wrong!

When I went to Mark’s table, he presented me with my two sketch card commissions.  Mark then gifted me with the much bigger Cobra drawing above!  What an amazing piece of art!  When I offered to buy it, Mark said you don’t pay for gifts.  He also refused when I tried to tip him.  Mark was adamant that he enjoyed doing the drawing and it was a gift.

Since Mark often does drawings and donates a good portion of his commissions to charity, I said I wanted to give him money to donate to the Alzheimer’s Association.  Mark agreed to that.

Click on the art above to see a “long arm of the law-sized” version.

I will post the two sketch card commissions Mark did for me in the near future.

In August Mark will once again be doing an Action Against Alzheimer’s art campaign.  It’s a great way to pick up cool art and at the same time help a wonderful cause.

“Beverly Hills Cop” (1984) starring Eddie Murphy / Z-View

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Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

Director: Martin Brest

Screenplay:  Daniel Petrie Jr.; story by Danilo Bach, Daniel Petrie Jr.

Stars:  Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher, Ronny Cox, Steven Berkoff, James Russo, Jonathan Banks, Stephen Elliott, Gilbert R. Hill, Paul Reiser, Frank Pesce, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot.

Tagline: He’s been chased, thrown through a window, and arrested. Eddie Murphy is a Detroit cop on vacation in Beverly Hills.

The Plot…

Axel Foley is a quick-witted Detroit street cop who doesn’t play by the rules.  Axel is surprised when Mikey, his ex-con childhood friend,  suddenly shows up.  Mikey says he’s doing well and living in Beverly Hills now.

That night Mikey is killed.  It turns out he was in possession of German bearer bonds.

Axel takes vacation time and heads to Beverly Hills to find Mikey’s killers.

The heat is on!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

At one point, Sylvester Stallone was attached to star in Beverly Hills Cop.  Although it was intended to be a comedy, Stallone’s rewrite took out the humor and made it more of a straight action film.  That wasn’t want the producers wanted.  Sly bowed out with the understanding he could keep his script ideas.  Stallone turned those ideas into his film Cobra.

Eddie Murphy, John Ashton and Judge Reinhold improvised many of their lines.

Bronson Pinchot’s Serge was supposed to interact with another store salesman and Axel Foley. Pinchot’s improvs and accent were so funny, the other salesman’s part was substantially reduced and Pinchot’s role increased.

The movie proved so popular in test screenings, Paramount approved sequels before the film’s official release.

Beverly Hills Cop features the feature film debut of Damon Wayans.  He is listed in the credits as Banana Man.

The mansion that appears in the final shootout was once owned by silent film star Harold Lloyd.  The estate was also used in the final shootout in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s film Commando.  Ironically, in both films a character named Jenny was being rescued.

Director Martin Brest appears as the desk clerk who checks Axel out of the hotel at the end of the film.

Beverly Hills Cop is a great comedy/action film.  It leans more into comedy than action, but there is a heaping helping of both.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Psycho Killer” (2026) / Z-View

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Psycho Killer (2026)

Director: Gavin Polone

Screenplay:  Andrew Kevin Walker

Stars:  Georgina Campbell, James Preston Rogers, Malcolm McDowell

Tagline: Meet your new nightmare.

The Plot…

Jane Archer, like her husband Mike, is a Nebraska Highway Patrol officer.  Jane is going off duty when over the radio she hears that Mike has pulled a car over.  Since she’s near Jane decides to swing by.

Mike says for Jane to head on home.  It’s a simple traffic stop.  As Jane drives away, she sees her husband gunned down.  The killer takes off as Jane’s attempts to save Mike fail.

Jane is convinced that her husband was killed by a serial killer the press has named The Satanic Slasher.  This psycho killer is a behemoth who has left dozens of corpses all across the Midwest.  At each crime scene the police find bizarre occult symbols.

Jane takes time off.  She believes that The Satanic Slasher isn’t randomly traveling the country.  She’s convinced the killer has a destination in mind.  If she can figure it out and get there first, she can finish him.

What Jane and no one knows is this psycho killer has an endgame in mind that will exponentially increase his number of victims and shock the world.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Psycho Killer took a looong time to get made.  Andrew Kevin Walker finished the script in 2007.  In 2009, Fred Durst was set to direct with Eli Roth as the producer.  Gavin Polone, who ended up directing the film, signed on in 2010!

I was surprised. Psycho Killer was better than I expected.  It remined me of the type of movies I’d see at drive-ins in the 70s.  Perhaps nostalgia got the best of me.  Your mileage, as always, may vary.

Psycho Killer (2026) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Bigger and Better Blondes” (1927) starring Charley Chase and Jean Arthur / Z-View

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Bigger and Better Blondes (1927)

Director: James Parrott

Screenplay:  H.M. Walker

Stars:  Charley Chase, Jean Arthur, May Wallace.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Charley is given the assignment to carry $60,000.00 of a client’s expensive jewelry back to the shop.  Along the way he decides to stop for lunch.  Across the diner Charley sees a woman he’s attracted to.  In an effort to impress her, Charley puts on one of the rings he’s supposed to deliver.  Problem is, the ring belongs to the woman.   She sees Charley wearing it, and thinks he stole it.

Worse still, a group of thieves sees Charley wearing the expensive ring and that he’s carrying a load of jewelry.  They decide to steal it all.

Let the antics begin!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Charley Chase was an writer, director and actor.  Although he died at a relatively young age (46), his resume includes 282 acting roles, 174 films as a director and 37 as writer.

Bigger and Better Blondes was directed by Charley Chase’s brother.

The $60,000.00 in jewels would be worth over a million dollars in today’s money.

Jean Arthur appeared in only one Hal Roach production and this is it.  Arthur would go on to major stardom in the 1930s and 40s.  Her last feature film appearance was in Shane.

Bigger and Better Blondes (1927) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“They Will Kill You” (2026) directed by Kirill Sokolov; starring Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham and Patricia Arquette / Z-View

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They Will Kill You (2026)

Director: Kirill Sokolov

Screenplay:  Kirill Sokolov, Alex Litvak

Stars:  Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, James Remar and Patricia Arquette.

Tagline: Let them try

The Plot…

Asia Reaves, an innocent young woman, accepts a job as a live-in housekeeper at a high-class high rise called The Virgil.

It turns out the residents of The Virgil are Satanists.  From time to time they “hire” young women who won’t be missed by society.  These women think they’re being hired as maids or kitchen help.  The truth is they are brought in to be human sacrifices.

It also turns out that Asia Reeves isn’t so innocent.  Asia came to The Virgil for a reason.  She’s a skilled fighter who snuck in weapons.

One woman against a building full of killers.

Welcome to The Virgil.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

They Will Kill You is a blast.  It features outrageous nonstop action, mystery and humor.

Zazie Beetz is believable as an action star.  The camera loves her.  She’s one to watch.

Kirill Sokolov knows how to shoot action.  I love his inventive camera angles and set-ups.  I can’t wait to see his future films.

The Virgil, with it’s hidden passages and secret panels, would fit in with so many horror films of the 1930s and 40s.

James Remar provides the voice for “The Pig Head” character.

They Will Kill You is like Rosemary’s Baby on steroids reimagined as an action/horror/comedy.

They Will Kill You (2026) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Colony” from the Director of “Train to Busan” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster and trailer for Colony directed by Yeon (Train to Busan) Sang-ho are  here.  I absolutely love Train to Busan.  Peninsula didn’t reach the same heights.  Here’s to the hope that Colony does.

  • US Release Date: August 28, 2026

  • Starring: Ji Chang-wook, Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan

  • Director: Yeon Sang-ho

  • Synopsis: Horror master Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan) directs a new Korean zombie thriller starring Gianna Jun and Koo Kyo-hwan. Professor Se-jeong (Jun) is thrust into a bloody nightmare when a rapidly mutating virus is released during a biotech conference causing authorities to seal the facility. Trapped inside with no escape, Se-jeong along with a small group of survivors must fight to stay alive while the infected undergo horrific transformations.

“K.O.” (2025) starring Ciryl Gane and Alice Belaidi / Z-View

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K.O. (2025)

Director: Antoine Blossier

Screenplay:  Guillaume Lemans, Louis Aubert, Clément Marchand

Stars:  Ciryl Gane, Alice Belaïdi,Foued Nabba .

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Bastien was a rising star in the world of professional mixed martial arts.  That ended when Bastien accidentally killed Enzo, his opponent in a match.  Filled with remorse, Bastien retired from fighting.  He met with Enzo’s widow Emma to give his condolences and offer any support should she ever need it.  Emma accepted Bastien’s apology.  Her teenage son, Leo did not.  He was too filled with rage over the death of his father.

Two years pass.  Emma finds Bastien.  He’s working in a salt mine. Emma says her son Leo has gotten involved with a gang.  Worse still, Leo is missing.  Emma asks Bastien to save her son.

Bastien learns from Kenza, a police officer that the gang is one of the city’s worst.  The gang is violent, dangerous and has connections.  Kenza is one of the few officers willing to go against them.

Rescuing Leo will be hard enough.  Keeping him alive even tougher.

Ring the bell, Bastien is ready to fight again.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Ciryl Gane, the star of K.O. is one of the top rated MMA fighters in the world.  At the time of this writing he is the UFC’s Heavyweight Interim Champion.

K.O. (2025) rates 3 of 5 stars.