Tales of the Red Panda Smashwords Sale [ Edited ]

[MDD73]

Not sure if I'm allowed to post a sale for another site here, but I was excited for this deal (all of Gregg Taylor's books are high on my "to read" list) and thought others might want to check out these books also:

If you like classic golden-age pulpy super heroics in the vein of the Shadow and the Green Hornet, Gregg Taylor's Red Panda is likely your kind of character.  The three "Tales of the Red Panda" ebooks ("The Crime Cabal," "The Mind Master" and "The Android Assassins") still currently sell at $8.95 on B&N, but can be picked up directly from Smashwords for $4.95 each.  As a special incentive, if you purchase "The Android Assassins" from Smashwords before April 30, and enter the code FM44L at checkout, you can get it for only $0.99. 

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/42855

[DCLOVELL]

These look interesting.  Has anyone out there read them?  If yes...did you like them?  Are they also suitable for kids 9 years old and up?  If no, are there "adult scenes" and foul language?

I'd like to pick them up and share them with my daughter...but need to be careful about it.

[MDD73]

I am reading "Android Assassins"right now. There is no foul language or adult scenes. Gregg Taylor writes the Red Panda (both the books and the audio drama series they're based on) with an all-ages audience in mind. He doesn't make things too kiddie for adults nor too adult for kids. My kids (ages 6-10) and I all love the Red Panda. A good style comparison might be the early Stan Lee Marvel comics or the current Atomic Robo comics, but these are novels, not comics. I hope that helps. If you're on the fence, you might want to check out the audio drama series first, to see if you like the characters. The series currently has 80 episodes (all available for free) at http://decoderringtheatre.com I'd recommend checking out some early episodes first, since the current storyline may be a little confusing for newcomers.

[DCLOVELL]

This sounds great...a couple hours ago I was skimming the sample of this book over at smashwords.  This stuff is right up my alley.  I understand these are novels.  I used to be an avid comic book reader, but gave them up as some of the art and story line just got in my opinion too adult for comics.  I'm all for realism, (Crisis On Infinite Earths brought me back to comics as an adult back in the 80's), but some of the writers got over the top.  That being said, looking at the character...he reminds me of Will Eisner's Spirit...very coo.

[MDD73]

I just wanted to be sure people knew they were novels, since the best comparisons I could think of were all comic books.

I know the Spirit, along with the Shadow, the Green Hornet and dozens of other heroes of the '30s and '40s were big influences on the Red Panda.  I hear you on comics being too adult.  So hard to find super hero books to share with the kids these days.  So few writers seem to have a firm "all-ages" style.  They're either too kiddie for adults or too grown up for kids. 

I hope you enjoy the Red Panda books as much as I am.

[Arctic_Ranger]

Thanks for this tip.  I will definately look them up when I get home.  Sounds like it right up my alley and something I can enjoy with my kids.  I love the Atomic Robo comics.

On a side note, I think there are many age appropriate comics out there for kids but I am glad there is stuff out there that I can enjoy as an adult.  Scalped and Icelanders are not kid comics but are great.  The problem I see is that unless you have a parent or friend who is into comics most kids are not ever going to see some of the great kids comics that are out there.  I wish they'd put them back in the grocery store checkout line.

That alone could be a big boost to the industry.

[DCLOVELL]

On a side note, I think there are many age appropriate comics out there for kids but I am glad there is stuff out there that I can enjoy as an adult. 

I do agree with this.  I guess one of the problems I have is the way certain characters are drawn and clothed in comics that are supposed to be for kids. 

But then again...most of society has this attitude these days...lol.

[MDD73]

I can agree with that statement also.  My biggest issue is that when I take my kids to the comic shop I can't just let them pick up the mainstream super hero books.  I have to direct them to the "kid-friendly" corner for Marvel Adventures or DC Kids (which are generally not bad, but not always easy to find - even in a comic shop).  I'm actually pining for the days of the Comics Code Authority.

[DCLOVELL]

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MDD73 wrote:

 I have to direct them to the "kid-friendly" corner for Marvel Adventures or DC Kids (which are generally not bad, but not always easy to find - even in a comic shop).  I'm actually pining for the days of the Comics Code Authority.

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Yes...years ago I thought the 'realism' and the "grim and gritty" stuff was great.  Then some of the stories were good and perfectly fine, but the art was over the top cheese cake! I haven't picked up a book in years.

[MDD73]

"Grim and gritty" is great occasionally, but when it became the norm comics stopped being fun, IMO.  I prefer my comics to be fun reading that I can share with my kids (Atomic Robo currently fits that bill wonderfully).  I'm not trying to say comics should be just for kids, I'd just like for kids to be able to read more of them.  They were an important part of my youth, and I wish my kids could experience that also.

Kinda-sorta back on topic, the Red Panda (the audio drama and the books so far) and Atomic Robo are good examples of the kind of stories I'm talking about.  Fun, exciting stories, smartly written so as not to exclude any potential audience member, each individual tale can largely be enjoyed on its own without having to know every detail of every previous story. 

[MDD73]

If you're still contemplating picking these up, only 2 days to go in the "Android Assassins" .99 deal...

[DCLOVELL]

I picked it up.  I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

[MDD73]

I'm over halfway through and I've loved it so far. I'm going to have to grab the other two very soon.

[Arctic_Ranger]

picked it up as well.  Looking forward to reading it and letting my girls read it.  The others will have to wait until after payday.

I don't disagree, at times it seems like the comic industry is TRYING to kill itself off.  Price alone puts it outside the reach of a lot of kids.  I also agree about the way some characters are drawn.  That being said, I'm a DC guy and I think their recent decision to have all the femal characters wear pants is a little silly.  And the redesign of Zatanna, is ridiculously more offensive than her wearing fishnet stockings.

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MDD73 wrote:

I can agree with that statement also.  My biggest issue is that when I take my kids to the comic shop I can't just let them pick up the mainstream super hero books.  I have to direct them to the "kid-friendly" corner for Marvel Adventures or DC Kids (which are generally not bad, but not always easy to find - even in a comic shop).  I'm actually pining for the days of the Comics Code Authority.

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It can be like finding a needle in a hystack sometimes.  Sadly, that is because most comic shops don't cater to kids  but to adults.

I've seen that they are coming out with some new Courtney Crumrin comics.  I always keep a lookout for anything in Previews marked "Kid-Friendly".  Of course I have some older stuff I let my girls read: Bone, Thieves and Kings, Barry Ween, Tine Tin, Asterix and of course older superhero stuff.

Not to step on anyone's toes, but if you are a Christian a few years ago Zondervan came out with a line of comics that was actually quite good.  Sorry to say the effort ended up being cancelled but Tomo, Hand of the Morningstar, TimeFlyz, etc were enjoyable, well done and more subtle that I expected.

[DCLOVELL]

Before I "got out" of comics, (about 7-8 years ago), I used to read "Leave It To Chance"  If I remember correctly it was written by James Robinson and was pretty kid friendly.

The only Christian comics I read were the Left Behind adaptations, which didn't last long.  I thought they were well done.  Sales must have been poor. 

I have to say it was sad to be cautious about where I left the latest copy of the Previews catalog in my home.  Then to think that they even had an "adult supplement!"  UGH!!!!

[MDD73]

I had stopped buying comics regularly before my oldest child was born (he's 18 now).  I've only read Dynamite's Lone Ranger and Atomic Robo semi-regular in the last few years.  I prefer collections of old stuff like the Marvel Masterworks or the DC Chronicles books these days. 

I keep meaning to check out Zondervan's Son of Sampson series.  I'm a big fan of Sergio Cariello's art.  His work on the Lone Ranger and the Action Bible is fantastic.

40 pages to go in Android Assassins.  I'm going to have to grab the others soon.

[MDD73]

Today is payday.  I still have 14 pages to go in "Android Assassins," but I've enjoyed it so much that I grabbed the other two anyway. 

[Desert_Brat]

If you enjoy the Red Panda books, you might also enjoy the podcasts. Decoder Ring Theater has a free podcast through iTunes and they do the Red Panda Adventures and Black Jack Justice stories. Greg Taylor and crew are a fun bunch. I believe they are based in Canada.

[MDD73]

I've only been listening to Decoder Ring Theatre since January, but I've gone through the complete runs of the "Red Panda Adventures" and "Black Jack Justice" probably three or four times now. Gregg Taylor's writing is just loads of fun. I'm glad that carried over to the books also.

[MDD73]

The new $4.95 price point has shown up in the B&N Nook store now.  The ebook for Taylor's fourth novel, the one based on his "Black Jack Justice" series, is currently a 90-day Kindle exclusive.  Us Nook users should be able to pick it up in August.