Reviews

Howard reviews movies, books, and sometimes music. Here's a handy link list to all that stuff.  Movies (grouped by the year in which the film released): 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Books: (coming soon) Music: (coming soon) Read more

The Bonus Story is Colored! Friday August 17, 2007

I just finished coloring the last page of the Bonus Story for Schlock Mercenary: the Tub of Happiness. Yay! With luck (and a bunch of hard work) I'll be able to ship files to the printer by the end of the month. I'm shooting for a November ship date for… Read more

Boxed Set Bundle Bonus Wednesday November 3, 2010

I forgot to mention that the Boxed Set Bundle includes, while supplies last, the Strohl Munitions Plasma Cannon Activity Book. If you've already placed your order, don't worry, you're getting the bonus. If you haven't, there are only about 40 of these left . We're sold out of the coloring… Read more

Introducing Howard Tayler... DOT COM Saturday August 16, 2014

I know, I know... dot-coms are so "turn-of-the-century," so "last decade."  Trends and missed boats notwithstanding, howardtayler.com is a thing now. It's the hub for all the stuff I do. It's like putting all of my eggs in one basket, only without the actual risk associated with dropping the basket.… Read more

The Webcomicker reviews Under New Management Friday June 9, 2006

The Webcomicker just reviewed four recent webcomic print collections, and Schlock Mercenary: Under New Management got some glowing praise. The reviews are here, and the pertinent bits (you know... the ones that pertain to MY work) are the last four paragraphs on that page. My second-favorite quote from the review:… Read more

2024 In Review Thursday January 23, 2025

How did 2024 go for me? Well, the beginning of the answer to that question can be found in the date of this post. We’re two-thirds of the way through January and I’m only now finding the time and energy to write a year-end thingy. The end of the answer… Read more

Let’s review some movies Friday December 18, 2020

It’s been a while, I know. I haven’t been to the theater since February, and I suppose I could describe my spring, summer, and fall to you, but all three of them were mightily 2020’d, so let’s just give that a miss. Will I make it back to a movie… Read more

Book Review: Matt Furey's Combat Conditioning Sunday July 9, 2006

As promised, here's a review of Matt Furey's Combat Conditioning: Functional Excercises for Fitness and Combat Sports. Let's start with the title: Furey is using a very wide, Darwinist definition of "fitness" in that subtitle. This is not a book that will make you fit for body-building competitions, nor for… Read more

And Now, A Bonus Story Teaser Thursday March 17, 2011

I've been getting colored bonus-story pages back from Travis, and couldn't resist sharing at least one of them with you. Behold, the Shardfleet! I took the liberty of blanking out the dialog. I wouldn't want to spoil anything. Read more

Calendars, Horses, Reviews, and Comfy Con Friday November 15, 2013

Here are some things I don't want you to miss, but which have dropped way below the fold: Calendar Pre-orders are Open Sandra is Kickstarting a gorgeous picture-book I reviewed Thor: The Dark World I reviewed Bowl of Heaven, by Benford and Niven Also, this weekend is Comfy Con! I'm… Read more

Movie Review: V for Vendetta Friday March 17, 2006

I need to see this film two or three more times. Only then can I write the review it deserves, but that wouldn't be a review -- it would be critical analysis, bordering perhaps on deconstruction. One thing is certain: this film falls far outside the typical range for comic-book… Read more

Stripped: review coming on April 1st Friday March 14, 2014

It's getting to be that time of year when I clear my calendar each Friday so I can see a movie and write about it. Today, however, nothing is playing that I find interesting. Of course, last night I watched my Kickstarter Exclusive HD Reward Copy of Stripped, the documentary… Read more

Writing Excuses CD-ROM at PodDisc.com Thursday October 2, 2008

You asked for it, we delivered it. Season One of Writing Excuses is now available on CD-ROM at PodDisc.com. Here's what you get: - Nine hours of fifteen-minute-long episodes in DRM-free MP3 format - Both bonus episodes - Two unaired episodes, including our pilot, straight from the cutting-room floor -… Read more

Movie Review: Cars Friday June 9, 2006

I just got back from Cars. It was wonderful. Sure, the story arc and character arcs are predictable (especially if you've seen lots of similar Disney/Pixar films), but it is still a wonderful film. The animation and voice characterization is uniformly brilliant, and the art direction and concept design is… Read more

Hardcore Henry —a Guest Review from Bob Defendi Sunday April 17, 2016

Howard here… I couldn’t bring myself to see Hardcore Henry. I was too busy, and too stressed out, and this did not look like something that would make me in the least bit less anxious. Fortunately for all of you, my friend Bob saw it. He started to tell me… Read more

Book Review: Better to Beg Forgiveness Friday December 21, 2007

Okay, I love Michael Z. Williamson's heroes. They're tough, they're flawed, and when they break stuff it stays broke. When I saw that the title of his latest was Better to Beg Forgiveness I figured I was in for a great ride. I was right. But before I gush: I… Read more

SOUL Sunday December 27, 2020

I loved Soul. LOVED. IT. The mythos was fun, the music was amazing, and the story had more heart in it—more truth in it—than anything in recent memory. As an added bonus, if you like jazz, this movie has some amazing things to offer. It’s easily worth a Disney+ subscription.… Read more

Captain Marvel Friday March 8, 2019

Cutting straight to the chase here, I love this movie. Captain Marvel clears my Threshold of Awesome with room to spare. I’ve wanted more genre-movie Brie Larsen since seeing her in Kong: Skull Island, and Captain Marvel is better than any such thing I could have imagined. She was perfect as Carol Danvers, and… Read more

300 II: Abs on the Rise Friday March 7, 2014

Today I saw a not-very-good movie. Yes, I'd like the two hours back. If the film has any redeeming value whatsoever it's that it's inspired a bit of interest in the actual history -- history that does not involve oiled men sword-dancing when they're supposed to be fighting.  In the… Read more

Monday July 27, 2020