Created by Dann McDorman "Of course there is a detective. There must be a detective."— just in case you were wondering. Cozy? Hard-boiled? Meta-fiction? A sly update on Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game? A rip on John Dickson Carr's locked room mysteries? A edible-fueled game of Clue? Postmodernism run amuck? It's hard to tell. … Continue reading Adam McAnnis
Tag: Metafiction
Riv del Rio
Created by Sergio de la Pava "Waking life in Cali, for me, has many dreamlike qualities. So opening may eyes isn't clearly a return to reality from imagination." Put on your waders, if you're going to tackle this one. We're going deep into metafictional waters in the brain-spinning, hallucinatory Every Arc Bends Its Radian (2024). … Continue reading Riv del Rio
Will Profane (Profane)
Created by Peter Milligan (writer) and Raül Fernandez (art) Welcome to the Meta-Verse. Make sure your head's on tight. WILL PROFANE is pretty much your classic, meat-and-potatoes LA private eye. Until, that is, he begins to suspect he's only a fictional character in some other guy's detective books. That's the wacko premise of Propane, a … Continue reading Will Profane (Profane)
Philip M. Noir
Created by Robert Coover "The body has to eat and drink so it can stay healthy long enough to enjoy an agonizing death, and the mind, to help out, has to know where the provisions are and how to get them and who else is after them and how to kill them" Who reads this … Continue reading Philip M. Noir
“Oh, Mama, I got the post-modern metafictional blues again…”
Who reads this stuff? Meta-fiction: ... fiction in which the author self-consciously alludes to the artificiality or literariness of a work by parodying or departing from novelistic conventions (especially naturalism) and traditional narrative techniques. Post-modernism: ... a literary style; a term used to refer to a variety of artistic, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim … Continue reading “Oh, Mama, I got the post-modern metafictional blues again…”
Robert “Bob” James
Created by John Goldbach (1978--) "A lot remains unknown. Things change when you look at them." -- Robert clues us in... Here we go again... ROBERT "BOB" JAMES is a private eye. A loner with cynical streak that naturally hides a romantic streak. He thinks too much; he drinks too much. He cracks wise, as … Continue reading Robert “Bob” James
Mitch Pistolwhip (Pistolwhip)
Created by Matt Kindt & Jason Hall "Mitch, if you're going to be a good detective, you've got to be aware of your surroundings at all times. It's really about observation. . . paying attention to detail, always alert. That means keeping your eyes and ears open. . . especially to the little things." -- … Continue reading Mitch Pistolwhip (Pistolwhip)
Rita Gaspereaux (The Big Man’s Daughter)
Created by Owen Fitzstephen Pseudonym of Gordon McAlpine Owen Fitzstephen's book is called The Big Man's Daughter, and it doesn't really have a detective in it, but... Explaining one of Fitzstephen's books is a bit like skiing about soup. This is really just the author playing fast and loose (and possibly avoiding lawsuits from the … Continue reading Rita Gaspereaux (The Big Man’s Daughter)
Clyde Umney
Created by Stephen King (1947--) Though obviously he's best known for his horror and fantasy fiction, Stephen King has been known to dabble in other genres from time to time -- including ours. He's also sung the praises of various crime and mystery writers, with John D. MacDonald being a particular favourite, and he's paid … Continue reading Clyde Umney
Oscar Fife
Created by Jonathan Lethem Jonathan Lethem is, of course, a big shot American writer; an acclaimed novelist, essayist, and short story writer. His first novel, Gun, with Occasional Music (1994) was a tongue-in-cheek mish-mash of science fiction and detective fiction, featuring private "inquisitor" Conrad Metcalf and a slew of genetically modified kangaroos packing heat. Lethem may be a … Continue reading Oscar Fife