The Big Bang

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins collaborated on numerous projects, including twelve anthologies, three films, and the Mike Danger comic book series.

Spillane (1918—2006) was the best-selling American mystery writer of the twentieth century. He introduced Mike Hammer in I, the Jury (1947), which sold in the millions, as did the six tough mysteries that soon followed. The controversial P.I. has been the subject of a radio show, a comic strip, and two television series; numerous gritty movies have been made from Spillane novels, notably director Robert Aldrich's seminal film noir, Kiss Me Deadly (1955), and The Girl Hunters (1963), with Spillane himself playing Hammer.

Collins has earned an unprecedented fifteen Private Eye Writers of America "Shamus" nominations, winning twice. His graphic novel Road to Perdition became the Academy Award-winning film starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. An independent filmmaker in the Midwest, he has had half a dozen feature screenplays produced. Other credits include the New York Times bestsellers Saving Private Ryan and American Gangster.

Both Spillane and Collins are recipients of the Eye, the Private Eye Writers life achievement award.