The Amazingly True Adventures of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack: The Creators of King Kong

by Michael H. Price, George E. Turner, Susan Svehla

This graphic novel, based on Spawn of Skull Island: The Making of King Kong, details the real-life exploits of daredevil filmmakers Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. The graphic novel begins with their WWI adventures, continues with the story of filming Grass and The Four Feathers.

96 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2006

About the author

In 1987, writer-guitarist Josh Alan Friedman sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads (the Crossroads of the World--Broadway & 42nd Street) and moved to Texas. Hed just written Tales of Times Square, a cult classic. An Expanded Edition with new chapters was recently released, while the still-unfinished movie of Tales has played 35 film festivals.

Joshs latest book is Black Cracker, the story of his tumultuous childhood as the only white boy at Long Island's last segregated school. In 2008: Tell the Truth Until They Bleed: Coming Clean in the Dirty World of Blues and Rock 'n' Roll. Before that: When Sex Was Dirty; I, Goldstein: My Screwed Life (with Al Goldstein); Now Dig This: The Unspeakable Writings of Terry Southern (co-editor).

Josh also set off satirical fires and lawsuits as writer-half of the Friedman Bros, the most feared cartooning duo of the late '70s and '80s. Two anthologies remain in print, featuring the art of Josh's brother, Drew Friedman: Warts and All and Any Similarity to Persons Living Or Dead Is Purely Coincidental.

On the music front, as Josh Alan, he barnstormed the state of Texas for 20 years, rocking whole arenas with his Guild D-40. Copping three Dallas Observer Music Awards for Best Acoustic Act, he released four albums: Famous & Poor, The Worst!, Blacks 'n' Jews (the title of which became a documentary on Joshs life) and Josh Alan Band."

Reviews

[Rich Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting graphic novel, covering the careers of the two men behind the original King Kong movie, starting with the first World War, and their involvement in various humanitarian efforts of the time period, as well as covering their yen for exploration. The art is interesting, being like posterized versions of old photographs. It's a quick, five-minute read for most, and reveals some facts that even a Kong aficionado like myself had never bothered to seek out.