The slot that the Destroyer had held was replaced by 4 reprints of Jake Strait before the first book of their new series, Room 59, came out in Jan 08.

The new covers for the Destroyer novels actually remind me of Bolan and Outlander covers, to be honest.

[...] Creed is Tomb Raider with a more realistic wardrobe, Buffy as an archaeologist, star of a novel series by the folks who put out the Executioner books. In this story, she’s come to Virginia City to [...]

But then they changed concept to having a stand-alone series starring Annja Creed, which – although being a much better idea – caused enough of a schedule shift that by that point my music video directing commitments meant I didn’t have time to re-pitch and I had to drop out.

I’m really glad IDW worked to find another female writer, especially with such a cool-sounding pitch. Also, Twain is actually my great great grand uncle (or something) so at least the story’s staying in the family.

Now the co-artist in no way changes that I will buy it, however it does dampen my enthusiasm of having found a bit of a golden goose as it were. All the same, I enjoyed the post, and I agree a knowledgable and welcome review.

I’ve also run into people who consider “formula” or “genre” insults, even when they’re purely descriptive.

The main character is very definitely in the Buffy mode, but also has some Lara Croft in her as well. The books tie in well with the sort of Dan Brown/Steve Berry/Clive Cussler “mix in a little history and a conspiracy with the action” style of storytelling that’s always done rather well if it finds its audience. Add in the supernatural element of Joan of Arc’s sword and you get another cross-market to the supernatural romance field that’s so hot right now. Comics fans might make fun of Dabel/Marvel’s Anita Blake books, but those novels have sold well for a long time now. (I liked them just fine until the author got more interested in her characters’ sex lives than their adventures)

I have read and enjoyed the original Pinnacle Executioner books by Don Pendleton, but never did like what Gold Eagle turned the character into. They took the original war against the Mafia and turned it into paramilitary porn.

Given that The Punisher was a blatant ripoff of the Executioner, it’s worth pointing out that the Executioner books from Gold Eagle have been, for the past 15 years or so, just like what the Punisher was at the height of his late 80′s glory — over-exposed and tiredly formulaic. Maybe they’ve gotten better recently, but I stopped even trying the various Bolan books a long time ago (and I like Men’s Action books for my popcorn reading — Lee Child, F. Paul Wilson, Matthew Reilly, Douglas Preston, Steven Hunter, etc.)

what has always interested me in terms of the pop culture element with these books is that female readers tend not to mind that it’s formula — in fact, they tend to be very open about the familiarity and selling point of the formula. But male readers deny, deny, deny the formula in their reading material. or they deny that they read it. they would never be seen reading a Gold Eagle book, but they gladly read each Richard Marcinko book, which can’t be formula fiction because it’s from a hardcover publisher! But then again, I’m probably generalizing again —

anyway, the Rogue Angel should be worth at least trying — and I’d suggest trying at least one of the novels if you have any interest at all in this sort of action/adventure/pulp-style fiction.