QUICK SHOTS: Hitman #4: They're Coming to Kill You, Jane by Kirby (Kin Platt) Carr

 

You know a book is going to be good when the title is so long it has a comma in it. All these Hitman books by Kin Platt have ridiculous titles. Like You Die Next, Jill Baby or Don't Bet on Living, Alice. Commas too. I assume to let you know that Platt's tongue planted firmly in his cheek. If I'd have to bet these books were written fast (like too fast) and straight for the money. He was writing for Major and Manor books and Platt had some pedigree (mostly in children's books) so I'm sure he viewed these books as a place to play around.

I've written about Platt before; he's an interesting writer who wrote pretty much everything. Pulps, comics, animated TV, mysteries, children's books and, of course, smut. At the same time, he was cranking out The Hitman books, he also was writing a pretty fun private eye series starring Max Roper, that would be of interest to people who read my ramblings. 

Mike "Hitman" Ross is back...for like half the book as per usual and with the rest of the book we hang out with the weirdos and the bad guys. A mobster named Scorpio (not Hank Scorpio from The Simpsons, sadly) who is blackmailing rich dicks with a youth potion that he got in exotic Asia. Ross is lurking around and killing as many dudes as he can to avenge the death of...Betty. There's a Jane in the book though I swear. Ross is a Batman/Punisher hybrid with a black nylon suit with a cowl, tons of guns and a cool combat van. I don't think we wears a hockey mask like he is portrayed on the covers, but the writing is sorta sloppy enough I could have missed it. In this one there's some light brainwashing, tons of goofy "tough guy talk," plenty of shootin' and a-fightin' and some terrible racial stereotypes. It's also clear that as some point Platt realized he had written too much back-story and stuff that he was rapidly approaching his word count that he wraps it all up rather abruptly and Hitman sorta sits out his big action climax. Bummer, I know Hitman likes murdering. 

All that makes it sound like I didn't care of this book. I did. For some reason this series is one of my favorite Men's Adventure series, its simply too far out and messy for me not to like. I also LOVE the whole comic booky-set-up and all the ripped from the tabloid-kooky directions its takes. There also have a couple of covers that are just pure awesomeness. And Platt can write and there's always really good stuff in these books, which makes it a shame that they are so hard to track down these days and I'm sure no-one is clamoring to put them out as eBooks.

...speaking of eBooks my first novel, Gunpowder Breath is officially available here on Amazon. It's an action packed (actually its ALL ACTION) tale of a mercenary trying live through a weekend packed full of gunfights.