Background
Gary K. Wolf was born on January 21, 1941 in Earlville, Illinois, United States; the son of Ed Wolf and Hattie Wolf. His father had an upholstery business, while his mother worked in the school canteen.
(It’s thirty years in the future. In the Boston Minutemen ...)
It’s thirty years in the future. In the Boston Minutemen locker room, Street Football League quarterback T.K. Mann prepares himself for the biggest, riskiest, most dangerous game of his life. At the age of thirty-four, T.K. is the oldest player in the ultraviolent sport of Professional Street Football, a phenomenally popular twenty-four-hour-long athletic event combining pro football with mixed martial arts and armed combat. From its outlaw beginnings as a gang game played on urban streets, the SFL has rapidly risen to become the nation’s most popular spectator sport. On every Sunday, armed and deadly players on SFL teams main and murder one another in front of huge television audiences. The International Broadcasting Company, the network that owns exclusive telecasting rights to SFL games, is not satisfied. The network wants more viewers, more team merchandise sales, more advertisers, more profits. To get that, they need to give the fans what they want, -- more violence and more death. Even at his relatively advanced age, T.K. is still mentally sharp, still quick, still able to play the game at the highest level. But he’s old school, inclined to show mercy to injured and vanquished foes. He’s not bloodthirsty enough to please IBC. He’s not the modern-day stone cold killer IBC wants for a marquee SFL player. Pierce Spencer, arrogant, autocratic, ruthless IBC President, dreams up an ingenious scheme. He manufactures a season-long personal rivalry between T.K. and Harv Matision, the San Francisco Prospectors’ young, tough, inner-city-bred quarterback. Matision is heartless, mean, and viciously murderous, IBC’s ideal star athlete. IBC’s manipulations have all been designed to lead up to this final championship game, Mann against Matision, may the better man live. Pierce Spencer and his IBC cronies aren’t taking chances. They know the game’s outcome even before it begins. IBC plans to insure that this is T.K.’s final game. In the locker room, T.K. and his teammates go through the intensely personal rituals of men preparing to face death. Some listen to jarring rock music. Some shoot themselves up with painkillers or speed. Some, like T.K., operating under the theory that you can never be too prepared, go over their playbooks one last time. The time comes to suit up. Each player dons his lightweight body armor. Player by player they pass by the team armourer who gives each player his standard equipment, a long knife, a club, a bolo, a javelin, and to one player, a rifle. The players head for the street. The league’s championship game is being played this year In Boston, on a six block by eight block section of the downtown city. Everybody who lives there has been temporarily relocated. The two teams come out onto the eerily silent street. The Minutemen, with T.K. at the helm, and their opponents, the Harv Matision-led Prospectors, line up at the intersection of Myrtle and Garden. At the stroke of twelve midnight, the Minutemen kick off. The season’s championship game begins; the game known by street football fans around the country simply and accurately as……Killerbowl! This is the first novel by award winning author Gary K. Wolf, famed creator of Roger Rabbit.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039PU9QS/?tag=2022091-20
1975
(In the near future, travelers are electronically disassem...)
In the near future, travelers are electronically disassembled, transmitted through wires and reassembled at their destinations. A totally safe process. Except....when sometimes travelers go in and don’t come out. That becomes a problem for Saul Lukas. The Resurrectionist. His job – find lost travelers and get them out. Before the wires disrupts them so badly they can never come out again. At least not in human form. This time, a famous Russian ballerina has disappeared inside the wires. Aided by his special maintenance crew able to travel the wires without losing physical abilities, Saul combs the line. He finds no trace of the missing girl. To improve the odds of locating her, Saul goes to The Bridge Authority, the monopoly which runs the wire network. He asks the Authority’s president, Michelle Warren, to temporarily suspend all wire services. She flatly refuses. Why? What possible reason could the Bridge Authority have for deciding to condemn this innocent girl to death? As the ballerina’s life slowly ticks away inside the wires, and Saul races to unravel the mystery of her disappearance, the answer gradually comes to light. Bring this girl out, and the whole nature of civilization could change drastically for the better….or the worse. Is one life worth such a risk? The final decision rests ultimately on Saul’s unwilling shoulders. This is the third science fiction novel by famed Roger Rabbit creator and Hugo Award winner Gary K. Wolf.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007I4J75U/?tag=2022091-20
1979
(“Who’d want to kill a dumb cartoon bunny?” That’s what Ed...)
“Who’d want to kill a dumb cartoon bunny?” That’s what Eddie Valiant wants to know. He’s the toughest private eye in Los Angeles, and he’ll handle anything – if you’re human. If you’re a Toon, that’s another story. Eddie doesn’t like Toons – those cartoon characters who live side-by-side with humans. Not the way they look, and especially not the way they talk: word-filled balloons come out of their mouths and then disintegrate, leaving dust all over his rug. Eddie will work for a Toon if his cash supply is low enough. So he reluctantly agrees when Roger Rabbit, a Toon who plays straight man (or should that be straight rabbit) in the Baby Herman cartoon series, asks him to find out who’s been trying – unsuccessfully – to buy his contract from the DeGreasy Brothers syndicate. Then Rocco DeGreasy is murdered – and Roger is the prime suspect! The rabbit is also, as Eddie soon discovers, very, very dead. Who censored Roger Rabbit? And who shot Rocco DeGreasy? Was it Roger, or was it Rocco’s hot-cha-cha girlfriend, Jessica Rabbit? Why had Jessica – a pretty steamy number for a Toon – ever married a dopey bunny in the first place? And why does everybody want Roger’s battered old teakettle? As Eddie combs L.A. from the executive suites of the DeGreasy Brothers to Sid Sleaze’s porno comic studio, he uncovers art thefts, blackmail plots….and the cagiest killer he’s ever faced. In Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, author Gary K. Wolf has created a wonderfully skewed – and totally believable – world compounded of equal parts Raymond Chandler, Lewis Carroll, and Walt Disney. This riotously surreal spoof of the hard-boiled detective novel is packed with action and laughs. From first page to last, Who Censored Roger Rabbit? is shear delight. Celebrated author Gary K. Wolf’s cult classic and highly praised novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? is the basis for the blockbuster Walt Disney/Steven Spielberg Academy Award winning film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. This version includes an author’s sketch of Roger Rabbit PLUS autographs of Gary K. Wolf AND Roger Rabbit himself! The detective on the cover is portrayed by Mr. Wolf.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/151231501X/?tag=2022091-20
1981
(Welcome to Toontown where cartoon characters – Toons – li...)
Welcome to Toontown where cartoon characters – Toons – live side-by-side with humans. The whole Who Framed Roger Rabbit cast is here: Roger Rabbit, Eddie Valiant, Baby Herman, and of course Jessica Rabbit, the sultriest woman ever “drawn that way.” They’re up to their old tricks in a whimsical new mystery by Toontown’s original creator, the man who first brought these delightful creatures to life. Who P-p-p-plugged Roger Rabbit? opens with a call from Roger to hard-boiled private eye Eddie Valiant. Roger suspects that Jessica is baking her carrot cakes for movie heartthrob Clark Gable. The scandal threatens to rob Roger of the Rhett Butler role in the soon-to-be-filmed Toon musical comedy Gone with the Wind. Investigating Jessica’s alleged affair, valiant Eddie finds adultery turning to murder. In no time flat, he’s up to his fedora in a nasty web of deceit, intrigue, and Hollywood corruption including reports from all over of a swindling, cheating, blackmailing….Roger!!?!?! Something is really p-p-p-popping in Toontown! Some of the wildest creatures seen in fiction (and real life) abound: Police Sergeant Bulldog Bascomb, a full-blooded hound with razor-sharp teeth sunk into Eddie’s case: Heddy, Eddie’s sister and possible prime suspect; Kirk Enigman, a very “shadow”-y guy; and Joellyn, Jessica’s twin sister, shockingly different in one small way! As if this isn’t enough, human luminaries run fast and furious. In addition to Gable, David O. Selznick, Carole Lombard (Baby Herman’s latest plaything), and Vivien Leigh (Valiant’s dalliance?) all play a role. Who P-p-p-plugged Roger Rabbit? is a comically brilliant sequel, as unique and original as the first time we saw Roger and Jessica together in Wolf’s Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, the book that kicked off the whole Toon craze. This version includes an author’s sketch of Roger Rabbit PLUS autographs of Gary K. Wolf AND Roger Rabbit himself!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1512315214/?tag=2022091-20
1991
(After a lifetime of friendship, two small-town boys who g...)
After a lifetime of friendship, two small-town boys who grew to have very different lives and careers have teamed up to travel back in time and conquer the universe. Determined to recapture the science fiction of their youth—not as it was, but as it should have been—Gary K. Wolf, the creator of Roger Rabbit, and his best friend, John J. Myers, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, now transport readers to the far reaches of the galaxy. There, the mere mention of the pirate known as Space Vulture strikes fear into every heart. A hardworking colonist’s only hope is that the dauntless lawman, Marshal Victor Corsaire, will rocket to the rescue. Come along for the ride and discover all the adventure, suspense, wonder, and fun that Wolf and Myers first found in science fiction fifty years ago, and now share with everyone in this rollicking tale of the spaceways. After a lifetime of friendship, two small-town boys who grew to have very different lives and careers have teamed up to travel back in time and conquer the universe. Determined to recapture the science fiction of their youth—not as it was, but as it should have been—Gary K. Wolf, the creator of Roger Rabbit, and his best friend, John J. Myers, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, now transport readers to the far reaches of the galaxy. There, the mere mention of the pirate known as Space Vulture strikes fear into every heart. A hardworking colonist’s only hope is that the dauntless lawman, Marshal Victor Corsaire, will rocket to the rescue. Come along for the ride and discover all the adventure, suspense, wonder, and fun that Wolf and Myers first found in science fiction fifty years ago, and now share with everyone in this rollicking tale of the spaceways. After a lifetime of friendship, two small-town boys who grew to have very different lives and careers have teamed up to travel back in time and conquer the universe. Determined to recapture the science fiction of their youth—not as it was, but as it should have been—Gary K. Wolf, the creator of Roger Rabbit, and his best friend, John J. Myers, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, now transport readers to the far reaches of the galaxy. There, the mere mention of the pirate known as Space Vulture strikes fear into every heart. A hardworking colonist’s only hope is that the dauntless lawman, Marshal Victor Corsaire, will rocket to the rescue. Come along for the ride and discover all the adventure, suspense, wonder, and fun that Wolf and Myers first found in science fiction fifty years ago, and now share with everyone in this rollicking tale of the spaceways.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0765318520/?tag=2022091-20
2008
(Hard-boiled gumshoe Eddie Valiant lands a plum job as Gar...)
Hard-boiled gumshoe Eddie Valiant lands a plum job as Gary Cooper's bodyguard while Coop scouts locations for his next movie-a screwball comedy titled Hi, Toon! But Eddie's dream job quickly turns into a nightmare. The film's being shot in Toontown, and Coop's co-star turns out to be none other than Roger Rabbit. Eddie's a big fan of Coop. Of Roger? Not so much. Now a sinister hoodlum is threatening to murder Coop if the movie gets made. Before long, Eddie, Coop, Roger, and the ever-glamorous Jessica Rabbit are embroiled in a mystery that could destroy Toontown. When Roger bites off more Toonish trouble than Eddie can swallow, the answer to the question Who Wacked Roger Rabbit? suddenly becomes no laughing matter. "Even the Incredible Hulk calls Who Wacked Roger Rabbit? a SMASH!" -Stan Lee Includes an author’s sketch of Roger Rabbit PLUS autographs of Gary K. Wolf AND Roger Rabbit himself! The detective on the cover is portrayed by Mr. Wolf
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1511838124/?tag=2022091-20
2014
Gary K. Wolf was born on January 21, 1941 in Earlville, Illinois, United States; the son of Ed Wolf and Hattie Wolf. His father had an upholstery business, while his mother worked in the school canteen.
Wolf attended Earlville High School, graduating from it in 1959.
He then graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with two degrees of Master's degree in advertising and Master's degree in Communicationin in 1969.
Wolf's interest in animation and writing began when he was a child growing up in the Midwest. Once he worked as a copywriter for an advertising agency in San Francisco, California, United States.
He had a great experience when he was vice-president and creative director in Crosson Austin Wolf (advertising and public relations). Then he was a president in consulting, and television production company Crywolf, Inc. in Harvard, Massachusetts, United States.
Wolf and his childhood friend John J. Myers co-wrote a novel named Space Vulture, released by TOR books during 2008. Also Wolf and co-author Jehane Baptiste have a story named "The UnHardy Boys in Outer Space" in the annual anthology of humorous science fiction, Amityville House of Pancakes Vol 3.
The most important of his works is a book "Who Censored Roger Rabbit?", which was published in 1981. For this book he received worldwide recognition.
Also Gary K. Wolf served as an Air Force Captain with the 5th Air Commando Squadron in the Vietnam War.
(Hard-boiled gumshoe Eddie Valiant lands a plum job as Gar...)
2014(After a lifetime of friendship, two small-town boys who g...)
2008(In the near future, travelers are electronically disassem...)
1979(Welcome to Toontown where cartoon characters – Toons – li...)
1991(“Who’d want to kill a dumb cartoon bunny?” That’s what Ed...)
1981(It’s thirty years in the future. In the Boston Minutemen ...)
1975
Quotations:
“Remember, people who peek through keyholes have to expect an occasional poke in the eye.”
“I’m not bad, Mr. Valiant. I’m just drawn that way.”
“Must have had a stronger union than the coffee machine.”
“Here I sit with a thirty-six-year-old lust, and a three-year-old dinky.”
Quotes from others about the person
True Classics: "What makes this novel so intriguing is Wolf's ability to create an entirely unique world: a world where animated characters and humans coexist...Bottom line: The eccentric creativity of this novel makes for a fun, fast-paced read."
Rich Koster, DisneyEcho: "In Who Wacked Roger Rabbit? Gary K. Wolf carries on his Toontown legacy... and even explains in his wacky way things like why most Toons choose to have only four fingers. It's the best Roger Rabbit tail tale yet!"
Oscar Benjamin - journalist, photographer, and radio show host "Gary K. Wolf succeeds brilliantly with a novel "Who Wacked Roger Rabbit?" that engages our imagination, our sense of humor and ultimately-our desire to be part of a world that we would love to be a permanent resident in good standing!"
Imnotbad.com: "A corral of colorful new characters and humorously strung together lines will keep you laughing at the 'Toon-logic,' wrapped up in a murder mystery and back inside the world that is Roger Rabbit."
Stephen H. Silver from SFSite.com: "Who Wacked Roger Rabbit? is a quick-paced, light-hearted mystery...Wolf created these characters and feels free to play around with them, as noted by the lack of continuity between the three books, but he also knows these characters and everything they do feels natural for them, even taking Roger's toonishness into consideration."
Fred Patten from Dogpatch Press: "Who Wacked Roger Rabbit? rambles a lot to get in all the Toons. Most of them turn out to be much more serious than Roger, or than what Eddie has been told that all Toons act like, such as the sadistic Louie Louie Louse. The mystery is also serious. An important supporting character is murdered, except that Roger and Gary Cooper get glimpses of him walking around. Is his death phony, or is someone faking that he’s still alive? This also makes the threats against Barney Sands and Gary Cooper seem more deadly."
Wolf is married; his wife's name is Bonnie.