Author: Tommy Hancock

Martheus Wade on Ninjas, Fate and Free Will

Martheus Wade on Ninjas, Fate and Free Will

  • News
  • January 17, 2012
I fell in love with Martheus Wade’s work when I visited his website.  The series Jetta:  Tales of the Toshigawa at first glance just looks like superhot ninja babes battling, which while in itself is a fun guilty pleasure, the book is deep
Shianndrea Toshigawa, codenamed Jetta is the chosen one.  She is the one that has to beat Terminus and his demonic horde.  To make matters interesting, Terminus is her father but perhaps the clincher for me is that the last thing Jetta and she doesn’t want to be that person. 
Questions of free will and fate, the natural conflicts of wanting to be your own person over being a person you’re supposed to be is just an intriguing story to tell.  There is a depth and sophistication to the graphic novel that engages in ways few stories dare to tread. 
Martheus Wade has written a tale nearly as engaging as he is.  We discuss Jetta, and his other series Turra – Gun Angel as well as some of life’s great questions.
All Pulp:   How did you get into comics? Who were your influences?
Martheus Wade:  I got into comics when I was really young. Comics were my gateway into reading when I was a kid. It was also my gateway into art itself.   George Perez, Masamune Shirow, Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, Adam Hughes and Adam Warren were all huge influences on me. But also early on, animation really guided my artistic eye. Anime was a heavy influence on me. Speed Racer, Voltron, Robotech. Tranzor Z. It all made me stop and take real notice.

AP: Tell me a little about Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa. What’s it all about?
MW:  Jetta: Tales of the Toshighawa is my creator owned graphic novel series that centers on Shianndrea Toshigawa. Code named “Jetta”, she is the chosen one of the Toshigawa ninja clan who is meant to defend the world from the demonic army known as the Knave. The leader of the Knave is the godlike Terminus, Emperor of Japan and the father of Jetta. In order to defeat this demon army, Jetta has been forced to leave her family and friends in order to train for the day she will be forced to face her father in combat. However, she only wants to lead a normal life away from the clan and far from any prophesied destiny.
But, she is always forced back into a fight that she does not want; fight where friends die and her hope for happiness continues to slip away.
The story is full of martial arts action. Jetta is a super powered  ninja that learns to use new and exciting powers almost every volume. She also has to deal with her on-again off-again relationship with her fellow ninja, Kim Shibata. The two of them have polar opposite ideas of what they should hold important in their lives. Kim is very much into his duty and believes in fate while Jetta believes in free will.
Even though they love each other deeply, their butting heads has dire consequences. The story also revolves around Turra Shibata, Jetta’s best friend and Kim’s sister.
Turra has rejected the ways of the Toshigawa and has gone off on her own. As the “Black sheep” of the clan, Turra is happy living her own life away from her duty. However, things take a turn when she is
forced back into action. The theme of fate verse free will runs throughout the series.
AP: To date, what is your favorite scene in Jetta?
MW: There are a couple of scenes. One scene is in Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa – Revelations when Jetta confronts her father, Terminus for the first time in the bullet train station. This is the first time that Terminus is seen as the all powerful character that he is. Another of my favorites is a slower scene from Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa – Defiance where Jetta is on a date with her new boyfriend, Dan, and the two are talking about their outlook on life and what they want out of it. Still another scene in Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa – Rain is when Turra sees her father for the first time in over a year just before he dies. There are so many great moments in this series. It’s really hard to try to pick only a few.
AP:  What is it about fate and free will that fascinate you?

MW: That battle between fate verses free will has always been a very real conflict in my own head. As a creative person, there have been moments in my career (as well as personal life) where I found myself working upstream. When I let go and went with the flow, things seemed to work out with less of a struggle. However, doing so meant that I had to let go of preconceived notions of where I should be or what I should be doing. My life and career took turns that I hadn’t thought of before and I ended up a completely different person than I thought I would be.
Is that “fate”? I would think so. I don’t have all of the answers to that. However, in realizing that it could be fate, I also realized that the life I wanted to lead when I was younger was not the life I was supposed to lead. That’s a hard pill to swallow and (whether it’s right or wrong) I still struggle with that concept on many different things. I want to believe in free will. I want the ability to say that, “If I walk out this door and put my best foot forward, I will get to where I’m intending to go”. But, as we know, that’s not always the case.

This is the basic idea of Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa. Through all of the attractive women, the martial arts action and scifi, the story is about Fate verses Free will.

AP:  Would you have been happy with the life you wanted?  They that the grass is always greener on the other side…
MW: That’s a good question. I don’t know. There would have been so many things that would be vastly different. Not better, just different. There are a lot of things that would change like my family that I could not envision living without now. Knowing me, if things did go exactly as I planned, I would still feel like something was missing.

 AP: Is it too early to ask you about Turra: Gun Angel?

MW: Absolutely not. Turra: Gun Angel – Bombs and Betrayal is a spin-off graphic novel that takes place in the Toshigawa universe. The lead character is Turra Shibata. She is the sword sister to Jetta and fellow Toshigawa ninja.
In Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa – Rain (The second book in the Toshigawa series), Turra gets her own assignment and is ordered to return to Japan in order to help organize the splintered ninja clan. But when she gets home, she quickly finds that she on the most wanted lists of, not only the Knave, but the police, the Yakuza and a rival ninja clan. All of this and she still has to deal with her boyfriend, Cyan, and his wandering eyes.

Bombs and Betrayal is a bit lighter than the main Jetta series. Turra, as a character, is a lot more relaxed than her sword sister. She is a lot more comfortable with being an attractive ninja bad ass. In the
main Toshigawa story, she was a bit of a wildcard and this story has more tongue in cheek comedy because of the interaction of the characters involved. Cat (one of the main characters of the series and
this spin-off story) is an African American kickboxer who finds himself faced with culture shock when he makes it to Japan. Cyan is a charismatic pyrotechnic who flirts with other women just to get under
Turra’s skin. And Nica, is a young Toshigawa ninja who is just learning the ropes and idolizes the “legend” that Turra has become.

However, the story is still a serious one and Turra finds herself faced with the difficult task of being called upon by duty to lead this ragtag group in hopes of saving the Toshigawa clan from certain death. It’s a fun read and ties perfectly into the main graphic novels.

AP: Anything else forthcoming we can look forward to?
MW: There is a HUGE announcement and a sort of partnership that will be revealed coming up really soon that I wish I could spill the beans on. That will be hitting in the next month or so. I am also working with Sean Taylor (writer for IDW) on the further adventures of Turra Shibata. The first issue of the miniseries will be out later in 2012. The next Jetta GN will be out at the end of 2012 and marks the end of this story arc. It also closes this chapter on Jetta’s life so I’m excited (and a little saddened) to see what readers think of the close of our story.
AP:  You get the final say here.  Plug your books.  Where can I find them.
MW: All of our books are found at www.toshigawa.com. That is where we have every book on sale as well as art prints and specialty items. Right now, we have two new books that are available, Turra: Bombs and Betrayal and Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa -Full Circle. These books intertwine these two beautiful ninja into two halfs of the same coin! Seamlessly follow Turra’s adventures and see where and how they effect the greater Toshigawa Universe in Full Circle. We are offering these two books together in one pack. For a limited time only ( as an added added bonus ) if you grab Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa – Full Circle and Turra: Bombs and Betrayal together in this Ultimate Combo pack, I provide a free sketch of one of the characters in the series. That’s over 150 pages of action packed content plus a free sketch. I invite everyone to try these books and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.
Also you can follow us on facebook under MAW Productions. Join our page and every friday at 9:00 pm, we have a live chat where the other creators and myself get together and talk about the Toshigawa Universe of characters, the comic book industry, and entertainment in general. It’s a lot of fun and I hope you join us!

Hancock Tips His Hat to SUN KOH: HEIR OF ATLANTIS VOLUME ONE!

  • News
  • January 16, 2012

TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp By Tommy Hancock

SUN KOH: HEIR OF ATLANTIS, VOLUME 1
by Dr. Art Sippo
Published by Age of Adventure
2010

Although many of us who write and publish New Pulp sincerely and honestly feel we are producing work that needs to be read, stories that people will love to read, and books that bring life back to a genre/arena/style that so many have forgotten or never even knew, it is truly rare that a single book not only does all of that from one cover to another, but does it with such style and finesse that it could simultaneously fit right into the literature of the era which inspired it and stand on its own as a modern novel, cognizant of all the sensibilities and nuances that that would require.

Rare, but not impossible.  How do I know this, you may ask?  Because I’m holding an example of such a feat in my hand right now.  Yup.  Written by the ever fascinating Dr. Art Sippo, whose Pulp Adventures I still hope to write someday, the book in question is SUN KOH: HEIR OF ATLANTS, VOLUME 1!

Sun Koh, a character from the German Pulps of the early 20th Century, is often referred to as Germany’s answer to Doc Savage.   This is most definitely true, as answered by Sippo in his fantastic introduction to this volume, but the author also works wonders with a character that many claim to find abhorrent and reprehensible.   This agitated feeling toward a literary character comes from the fact that with the change of political climate in Germany in the 1930s and 40s, Sun Koh was used basically to further the ideological views of Hitler and his Nazi Party.   What Sippo does with this situation instead of shying away from it in any form or fashion is essentially reboots Sun Koh keeping his Atlantaean heritage intact as well as his rather limited views of politics, women, and humanity in general.  

That is what Sippo does to kick off his volume.  What he does by the end of HEIR OF ATLANTIS is the truly wonderful part of this book.  Through a natural organic process, Sippo builds up Koh as a hero, not so much loyal to Germany, but loyal to his heritage and seeking his true place as Prince of all he surveys.   His time in the modern world (the 1930s) and his interaction with people who become his team of associates, however, changes Sun Koh’s view on several subjects and actually works on the character to bring out questions.  Questions of his own morality, questions of what Hitler’s plans and goals, and most importantly questions about what is truly important to Sun Koh as the hero of the tale.   Like no other writer I’ve ever read, Art Sippo takes a character from being essentially a lifeless automaton with tyrannical tendencies to being a real person, an individual who has an evolving innate sense of right and wrong and is learning, by the end of the book, to follow that compass.

Add into that compelling story lines, exciting and interesting supporting characters that could carry (and did in their original incarnations) stories all their own, and a fantastic pacing and attention to plot, and you have Art Sippo’s SUN KOH: HEIR OF ATLANTIS, VOLUME 1.  You also have one of the best books I’ve ever read, period.  

FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-Truly deserving of every accolade it has, does, and will receive.

NEW PULP WRITER, EDITOR, SUPPORTER AND FRIEND HOWARD HOPKINS-REST IN PEACE

  • News
  • January 16, 2012

Howard Hopkins, prolific writer as well as Historian, Editor, and Friend of Pulp writers, publishers, and fandom, passed away on Thursday, January 12, 2012.   This is a tremendous loss for the Pulp Community specifically and the world as a whole.  All Pulp will be honoring Howard’s memory with a retrospective as well as other articles possibly and other sites, such as New Pulp Fiction, also intend to do so this week.

At the request of Dominique, Howard’s wife, we are sharing the following notice with all those affected by Howard’s living and passing.

http://www.cotefuneralhome.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=323:unnamed&catid=7:obituaries&Itemid=4

Continue to follow All Pulp for any further news concerning Howard as well as plans by his wife to continue Howard’s work and dreams.

Howard Lance Hopkins PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 16 January 2012 03:30
hhopkins1.jpg
Howard Lance Hopkins
January 14, 2012
Old Orchard Beach
Howard Lance Hopkins, 50, of Old Orchard Beach, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, January 12, 2012, inBiddeford.
He was born in Biddeford on December 12, 1961, son of Frank and Lynne Dion Hopkins. He was a graduate ofScarborough High School.
The superheroes of Howard’s youth, Doc Savage, The Avenger and The Shadow, influenced his decision to become a professional writer. For the past 24 years, Howard has written numerous books including Westerns for Hale Publications, graphic novels such as a Sherlock Holmes series and a widely known children’s series called the Nightmare Club. Most recently, he focused his energy on writing the Chloe Files, a character derived from his novel Grimm.
Howard was an avid reader of superhero comic books, including Wonder Woman, Superman and The Hulk, to name a few.
He will be remembered as a devoted, loving and very supportive husband. He will be greatly missed not only by his loving and caring wife of 22 years, Dominique Morency Hopkins, but by many, especially his nephew Steap and niece Sam, who he loved, mentored and guided as his own.
Mr. Hopkins was a member of the United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Dominique of Old Orchard Beach
                        His parents – Lynne and Frank Hopkins
                        His sister – Robyn Hopkins
                        His in laws – Madeleine and Victor Morency and Marianne and Michael Fleischmann
                        His goddaughter – Renee Whitehouse
                        Several Aunts, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews and Cousins
A Visiting Hour will be from 10:30-11:30AM Wednesday at Cote Funeral Home, corner of Beach and James Streets, Saco. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:30AM Wednesday at Cote Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco. Arrangements are by Cote Funeral Home, Saco. You may wish to send flowers to the Cote Funeral Home or a donation to your local animal shelter in Howard’s name.  To send private condolences to the family go towww.cotefuneralhome.com

DETECTIVES, DOCTORS, EPIC AUTHORS, NEW REVIEWS AND MORE THIS WEEK FROM RADIO ARCHIVES!

  • News
  • January 13, 2012
January 13, 2012
NEW Radio Set: The Adventures of Frank Race, Volume 3

The world was a very different place in the immediate years following World War Two. Even though on the surface, the late 1940s and 1950s seemed to be an idyllic time of peace for the United States, there was an undercurrent of worry and paranoia, that whatever success and contentment Americans had at that time might be short-lived. This feeling was of course a prime breeding ground for movies, books, and other forms of entertainment to produce heroes that represented everything that was good, true, and tough about America, men who had fought for their country abroad in the War and were now home to fight to keep all that was America safe. And radio was no different, giving birth to several heroes of this type. Such as Frank Race.

First heard in the spring of 1949, “The Adventures of Frank Race” starred Tom Collins and, later, Paul Dubov as an attorney turned O. S. S. agent turned worldwide investigator. Race had spent most of the war years in Foreign Service and was frequently decorated for valor but, after he was discharged, he found the courtroom atmosphere of a practicing lawyer to be dull, stuffy, and unchallenging. Clearly, adventure was calling him and so, after finding a strong ally and sidekick in Mark Donovan, a rough but enthusiastic New York City cab driver, Race began a new career as a far-flung investigator.
Even though most of Race’s cases dealt more with insurance issues and less with international intrigue and espionage, he still fit the mold of the sort of hero people sought in the late 1940s and 1950s. Being former O.S.S., he had that connection to a time when men stood up for their nation and became heroes and therefore reflected the skills that the public thought their heroes needed even when the war was over to protect them from all who might threaten their standard of living.

The Adventures of Frank Race still rings with a good old-fashioned two fisted pulpy feel. Mysteries wrapped in suspense and adventure, as the title of each show indicates, and with even hints of romance thrown in make this classic show a definite must have for fans of Action and Adventure today! And the final eleven timeless adventures in this third collection can be yours for $17.98 on CD and $11.98 by Digital Download from Radio Archives!

by Tommy Hancock

In a world where medical dramas are almost a dime a dozen, it might surprise some that this type of entertainment has a much longer history than ER, St. Elsewhere, or even Marcus Welby, MD. One of the best known figures to ply his medical trade in movies, television, and radio was a young doctor by the name of James Kildare, the central character in The Story Of Dr. Kildare, Volume 1.
This series is quite simply a joy and pleasure to listen to on several levels. Set in Blair Memorial Hospital in New York City, the episodes follow Dr. Kildare played by Lew Ayres as he addresses the needs of his patients at the hospital, often more than just whatever may be physically ailing them. Kildare is not alone in his endeavors and that’s one of the charming aspects of this show, its supporting cast. The phenomenal actor Lionel Barrymore played Dr. Gillespie, Kildare’s crusty, crotchety mentor and a role Barrymore had played in the movies that inspired the radio series. Throw in Virginia Gregg as Nurse “Nosy” Parker and you have a stellar cast supporting the work of Ayres, also continuing his role as Kildare from the films. Gregg and Barrymore keep listeners in stitches as Gillespie and “Nosy” verbally spar with one another, all amidst the medical drama swirling around them.
This show is not carried simply by its cast, however. Each and every story is engaging and captures the attention of its audience. Although I’m no doctor, research indicates that the medical procedures reflected in The Story of Dr. Kildare were based on the cutting edge methods of the period and that seems apparent to an untrained ear. The pacing of each episode is usually dead on as well, building the tension of the particular illness or issue while intermingling character bits and the traditional trademarks of the show, like the Gillespie-Parker bouts or Kildare conferring with Gillespie. Although some might say the episodes are overall melodramatic, I am of the opinion that medical drama at its finest has a bit of melodrama poured over the top of it. The Story of Dr. Kildare is a series of equal parts medical practice, character building, and satisfying dramatic peeks into the lives of the staff and patients at a hospital.
Want to hear the Doctor that paved the way for those you love today? You can by picking up The Story of Dr. Kildare, Volume 1 for $29.98 on CD and $19.98 by Digital Download from Radio Archives!
Very few heroes in the Pulp Pantheon compare to The Spider. Although reminiscent of The Shadow in many ways, this passionate, sometimes psychotic avenger brings his own style, code, and level of action to his tales like few other of his fictional peers can. The level of pure adventure, tension, and absolute fun screams to spring off the page. And now it has.

The Spider stars in the first of Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, an audiobook line from Radio Archives. The Prince of the Red Looters, produced by Roger Rittner and featuring the excellent voice talents of Nick Santa Maria and Robin Riker, showcases all of the reasons The Spider is still one of the most popular, sought after, and discussed Pulp Heroes today.
Although quite literally initially a thought born due to the success of another Pulp hero, The Spider took bold steps in his own directions, thanks largely to the pen and imagination of Norvell Page. The Shadow, first a voice on the radio and then a character in Street and Smith’s magazine, erupted in popularity not soon after the first stories appeared, so much so that it became a magazine that printed twice monthly! Harry Steeger, Publisher of Popular Publications, noticed the attention Street and Smith’s latest creation was getting and promptly determined that Popular could create a similar hero and share in the spotlight and wealth that Street and Smith seemed to have tapped into.
Initially written by RTM Scott and named, according to legend, because Steeger saw an arachnid crossing a tennis court, The Spider really came into his own in the capable hands of crime reporter and Pulp writer Norvell Page. As Page wrote upwards of 100 Spider tales, this dark seeker of Justice did not simply drift away from the character which inspired his creation, he became something apart, something all his own.
His secret identity is millionaire Richard Wentworth, a criminologist. His supporting cast of characters is in many ways as colorful and lively as he is, especially the exquisite Nita Van Sloan, Wentworth’s love interest and The Spider’s partner in many of his adventures. The Spider doggedly pursued those who committed Evil and gave all he had to ending their criminal enterprises and their careers altogether. Permanently.
The bloodthirsty way in which Page portrayed The Spider carrying out his self appointed mission is one of the key factors giving Wentworth’s alter ego his own identity in the Pulp community. If The Spider had truly existed in the real world and been allowed to deal final sentence via his flaming .45s, then the population of New York City would have been wiped out several times over and the city streets would be forever stained red.
Quite a bit has also been made of The Spider’s possible mental stability. Page clearly writes a man that is troubled greatly, not just by the evil around him, but something eating at him from within. Be he paranoid schizophrenic or manic depressive, or any other possible diagnoses, it is clear that The Spider is not simply a bored rich boy fighting crime because he has nothing better to do. He is a force of nature hell bent on insuring that all who are innocent are protected and all who are guilty are afraid for their lives.
The Prince of the Red Looters is an excellent tale to not only spotlight what makes The Spider special, but it was also a great choice for kicking off Will Murray’s Pulp Classics. Through the voices of Santa Maria and Riker, The Spider’s desire to see Justice done and his struggle to hold onto his own sanity as well as Nita’s undying support and love for him shine through in two fantastic audio performances. This audiobook also features the debut of The Spider’s arch enemy, the sword wielding Fly! Before this tale, no villain had been audacious enough to take on The Master of Men one on one. The Fly not only calls out The Spider in this wonderful story, but also lives to return again, a rarity often for villains in the Pulps.
Hero. Madman. One or both, The Spider has left his brand on Pulp forever and Radio Archives now takes this classic character to a whole new level with The Prince of the Red Looters produced by Roger Rittner. Get your six hours of The Spider today for $19.98 on CD and $13.98 via Digital Download! All from Radio Archives!

I love mad scientists. Why? That’s simple. They’re mad. They never ever contemplate that their plans and schemes won’t work no matter how bizarre and off-the-wall they may be. Even in the face of overwhelming common sense they persist in going ahead with whatever it is that strikes their fancy. Whether it be reanimating the dead or creating portals to other universes or genetic manipulation or astral projection. Mad scientists blithely go about their business, solidly convinced that they’re the only one in the whole wide world who knows what they’re doing. I could be a little nuts myself but I find such insane behavior entertaining.
Take Doctor Death for instance as heard in Doctor Death – 12 Must Die, an audiobook from Will Murray’s Pulp Classics. Now you want to talk about mad scientists…they don’t get much madder than Doctor Death. Claiming to be the greatest scientist the world has ever seen (there’s a certain Swiss Baron who might challenge that claim) Doctor Death intends to wipe out all the technological progress man has made and return the world to a pre-industrial period. Even though he’s a scientist of considerable ability, Doctor Death has apparently made a pact with the very forces of Hell itself as he uses zombies and demons as his army. He also displays an amazing range of personal abilities such as telepathy to further his goals.
To combat such an overwhelming enemy is Jimmy Holm, Occult Detective extraordinaire who is appointed the leader of The Secret Twelve. This is an organization made up of scientists, law enforcement officials, industrialists, business magnates, The President of The United States and the head of organized crime in the United States himself, Tony Caminetti. It gives you some idea of how frightening the threat of Doctor Death is when Tony Caminetti gives his word that all organized crime in The U.S. will cease until Doctor Death is captured or destroyed.
From start to finish, Doctor – Twelve Must Die is nothing but solid fun. For me, the main thing about listening to an audiobook is the voice doing the reading. If it’s not an interesting voice full of energy and the ability to convey whatever emotion needed to tell the story, well, I’m just not gonna listen to it.
I’m happy to say that Joey D’Auria is a very interesting and exciting voice to listen to, especially during the sequences where Doctor Death goes off into one of his world conquering speeches which are simply a hoot to listen to. Doctor Death waxes wroth indeed as he outlines what malignant mischief he’s going to unleash next.
I’d never heard of Doctor Death before listening to this audiobook and it’s a great introduction to the character. If you’re a fan of supervillains as the star then you’ll enjoy this one. And it’s available today, five hours of fantastic Pulp goodness for $14.98 on CD and $9.98 as a digital download!
When asked what Pulp Fiction is, regardless if its classic tales from the medium’s greatest era in the early 20th Century or new stories written in the same vein and style by today’s writers, there are a few common traits usually mentioned by enthusiasts and fans. Pulp Fiction is usually described as being fast paced and plot driven. For the most part, this results in action packed short stories, packing all the wow possible into an economy of words. Even most Pulp novels fall into the realm of 60,000 words, definitely short by today’s standards for books. To every rule, even if it’s just more of a guideline, there must always be an exception. For New Pulp, that exception is the work of Wayne Reinagel, the one-man creative powerhouse behind Knightraven Studios.
Publisher, writer, artist, researcher, and formatter, Reinagel took the opportunity to dedicate his time to fulfilling a dream he’d had since childhood. “Being a passionate reader of comic books and novels since I was about knee-high,” said Reinagel, “I have always had a deep-seated desire to write and illustrate my own series of stories. About five years ago I started working on an epic-length ‘Steampulp’ story involving dozens of Victorian era characters of the late 1800’s combined with a group of four heroes of the 1930’s pulp era in a universe known as Infinite Horizons. The main title is Pulp Heroes and the individual novels are subtitled More Than Mortal, Khan Dynasty, and the upcoming Sanctuary Falls. The Hunter Island Adventure is the first of a long series of short stories, and it takes place between Khan Dynasty and More Than Mortal. The next series of novels take place in the 1800’s, and are described as Gothic Horror Steampunk. These are Modern Marvels – Viktoriana and the upcoming Modern Marvels – Gothika.”
The mix of historical and literary characters, as well as Reinagel’s own homages to known Pulp characters, makes his work stand out from most. Although many writers have tinkered with guest starring a literary character or tying their stories into historical events, very few, save possibly those involved in the writing of Wold Newton stories, have endeavored to weave such massive tales around known personages, both fictional and real. Reinagel’s decision to do this again goes back to his youth.
“At a very early age I began reading novels written during the mid-to-late 1800’s, such as Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, Dracula, and so on. During my teen years, I discovered reprints of the pulp era, specifically, Doc Savage and the Shadow. Even after all these years, these are still the stories I prefer to read for recreation.”

Reinagel recognizes that although he feels quite at home in the New Pulp world, some may not consider his books to be traditionally Pulp in the strictest sense. “My stories are a bit unique and often described as ‘epics.’ They are not a light snack, but rather an eight course dinner including a dessert and appetizer, and as such, not intended to be consumed at one sitting. They take the readers around the world and sometimes back through decades of time. The characters are more realistic – living, growing and sometimes even dying. The stories are vastly more complex than your average short pulp story, but I have had nothing but positive feedback from all my readers, so I must be doing something right.
“And,” continued Wayne, “I believe readers enjoy the addition depth added to existing stories and characters. For instance, in Khan Dynasty we explore a deeper storyline involving Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. I actually wrote more pages regarding these two characters than the original author, Robert Louis Stevenson.”
As far as why people read Pulp and how his work clearly fits into that niche, Reinagel stated, “Pulp is fun, fast-paced, entertaining, and the best bang for the buck. Personally, I enjoy reading action/adventure stories that take me on a wild roller-coaster ride and still leave me wanting more. And that’s what I try to offer in each of my stories. A reader recently emailed me and stated that after he finished Khan Dynasty, which is nearly 600 pages long, he couldn’t wait to start reading the next novel. That’s a high compliment, indeed.”

As previously mentioned, Wayne Reinagel is currently the sole employee and only staff member of Knightraven Studios. This was not so much a part of his initial plan, according to Reinagel, as it was just a circumstance of the moment. “Honestly, I didn’t know any professional writers or artists when I began writing More Than Mortal. And I wanted to explore this opportunity in both writing and illustrating a full-length story. It’s also very gratifying to know that I accomplished so much in my little one-man studio.
There are positives and negatives for Wayne being the only driving force and labor pool for his studio. “The upside is I control every aspect of the story and art. I drive myself very hard, working on improving my craft. And it’s something I really enjoy. The downside? Sometimes progress is very slow, doing everything myself. Occasionally, I feel the need to step back, take a deep breath, and realize everything that I’ve accomplished.”
Regardless of the length of his works or the complexity he applies to plot and character, Wayne Reinagel clearly sees his work as Pulp. And his fans do as well. “One of my readers described my books as, “Lightning in a bottle.” I don’t think I can come up with a better description than that.”
Find out just how epic Wayne Reinagel’s work is by checking out the Knightraven Studios page in the Pulp Book Store!
Check out the new graphics in the Pulp Book Store! Each publisher has its own unique identity and the Pulp Book Store displays that with eye catching distinct artwork, tailor made for each storefront!

Pulp fiction’s legendary Master of Men returns in two classic novels from the Golden Age of Pulp Fiction, written by Norvell Page under the pseudonym of Grant Stockbridge. First, in “Overlord of the Damned” (October 1935), the Boss unleashes horrible death with his demonic acid guns… with a vat of the same deadly corrosive reserved for those who talk too much! With his beloved Nita van Sloan a hostage to a terrible doom, the Spider faces the soul-tearing prospect of planting the Spider seal on his friend Stanley Kirkpatrick, Commissioner of Police! Then, in “Dictator’s Death Merchants!” (July 1940), The jaws of death gape open when El Crocodilo feasts! With uncanny skill, he forestalls even the Spider’s best attempts to trap him. Striking without mercy, this menace from the past rises anew by demolishing a banking institution each night, in a mad scheme to take control of nothing less than all of America’s finances! This volume is available in two editions and features the original artwork from the October 1935 or the July 1940 edition of “The Spider” magazine. Both versions feature reformatted text and original interior illustrations to accompany each story. Available now for $14.95!

The Pulp Era’s strangest mystery man returns in two more epic adventures by Paul Ernst writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, can Justice, Inc. prevent secrets of an ancient civilization buried for centuries in The River of Ice from destroying the modern world? Then, scientists in Paris, Berlin and Montreal exhale fire as they die, setting The Avenger on the trail of The Flame Breathers and a deadly secret that threatens to plunge the world into a fiery infernal! BONUS: a thrilling adventure of Police Commissioner James Gordon, a.k.a. The Whisperer! This classic pulp reprint showcases H. W. Scott’s classic pulp covers, all the original interior illustrations by Paul Orban, and historical commentary by Will Murray. This fantastic reprint is only $14.95 in the Pulp Book Store!

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! The Master of Darkness, agent Clyde Burke and Secret Service agent Vic Marquette investigate deadly plots in two thrilling pulp novels by Walter Gibson as “Maxwell Grant.” First, The Shadow’s investigation of The Embassy Murders unearths a sinister plot that threatens world peace. Then, the kidnapping of Clyde Burke leads The Shadow and his agents on a winding murder trail through New Jersey’s Hills of Death. BONUS: a two-fisted adventure of Police Commissioner James Gordon, a.k.a. The Whisperer! This instant collectors’ item features both classic cover paintings by George Rozen, the original interior pulp illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier and historical commentary by popular culture historians Anthony Tollin and Will Murray. And it can be yours for $14.95!
Doc Savage and his beautiful cousin Patricia battle threats to national security in pulp classics by Evelyn Coulson and Lester Dent writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, while testing an experimental plane for the Army, Renny disappears after his airship is engulfed by The Yellow Cloud. Then, what has transformed Monk, Ham and Johnny into cowardly Men of Fear? The incredible secret could end the war, unless Nazi agents seize it first. This special collectors edition showcases the original color pulp covers by Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray, author of eight Doc Savage novels. Available now for $14.95!
Follow the adventures of Mary Backstayge, Handsome Harry Backstayge, the idol of a million other women, their next door neighbor Calvin Hoogavin, stage door man, Pop Beloved and Broadway producer Greg Marlowe, who is secretly in love with Mary, as they leave Skunkhaven, Long Island to board a train for Seattle where they will open at a theater atop the Space Needle. Fielding Backstayge, Harry’s long-lost blacksheep brother, does his worst to disrupt the play, while the play’s backer, Wealthy Jacobus Pike, keeps a worried eye on things. A mysterious ululating Train Buff mysteriously appears, followed by many sprained ankles. Webley Webster, Artie Schermerhorn, The McBeeBee Twins, Chester Hasbrouck Frisbee, Ralph Flinger, Mr. I-Know-Where-They-Are, Dr. Elmer Stapley, The Word Wizard and the incomprehensible Dean Archer Armstead show up from time to time. Plus The Gathering Dusk. All in Volume 5 of Bob & Ray: The Soap Operas for $29.95 in the Pulp Book Store!

Already the best place to find Classic and New Pulp tales and Pulp related products from the best companies in the business, The Pulp Book Store goes itself one better! The Treasure Chest, the place to find great deals, now exclusively features products for the Pulp Book Store! Just click on the Treasure Chest on the Pulp Book Store Page and you’ll find fantastic monthly discounts on an ever changing variety of items from our various stores! Check the Treasure Chest now to see what great discounts await everyone from the avid Pulp Fan to the casual reader! The Treasure Chest is Open now in the Pulp Book Store!
Review of “Six Men of Evil” from The Shadow, Volume 13

By John Olsen

“Six Men of Evil” was originally published in the February 15, 1933 issue of The Shadow Magazine. Six men with a bizarre secret, exploit that secret in order to begin a crime wave that covers the entire United States. The Shadow will travel from New York to Mexico to San Francisco’s Chinatown before he will be able to conquer the evil of those six men. As our story opens, six men are on horseback, crossing the border from Mexico into Texas. They have only recently been released by ancestors of the ancient Aztecs, where they had been held captive as punishment for crimes against the lost tribe. Each man will adopt a new name and enter a new community as a respectable citizen. They will plan crime. Regardless of whether they murder or steal, they will do it openly and allow witnesses to see them. Because, they will have an iron-clad alibi. The perfect crime!
But before The Shadow can begin to combat this crime, he must take a trip to Mexico and find the lost city of Zeltapec. And this is where the story, which is already a corker, gets even better. And then, as if a trip to a lost civilization isn’t enough, we get a rousing climax when The Shadow visits San Francisco and it’s famed Chinatown. There we learn another secret about The Shadow’s girasol ring.
The Shadow appears as Lamont Cranston in this story. He is accompanied by his agents Burbank, Harry Vincent, investment-broker Rutledge Mann and reporter Clyde Burke. There is no mention of Kent Allard; author Gibson hadn’t invented him yet.
This is definitely an early version of The Shadow. He is nearly all-powerful. He wields a hypnotic presence; his eyes contain a mesmeric glint that brooks no refusal. He shoots to kill, not to wound; and he shoots straight the first time. His mastery of even the esoteric languages of the ancient Zeltapec chief is demonstrated here.
The early years of The Shadow Magazine are universally recognized to contain the best of The Shadow’s pulp adventures. And this story is definitely one of the best. Plenty of action. Plenty of mystery. Visits to far-flung places. And the exciting power of The Shadow at its most concentrated. It all goes to make this story a must-read. Treat yourself to one of the best of the best today for $12.95 at Radio Archives in the Pulp Book Store!
Comments From Our Customers!
Carole writes:
And Doc! Oh I do love being read to! I left off start of disc 4 of Python Isle–Doc is on the scene! Tear-gassed, surrounded by dead canaries and yowling cats, but he’ll find a way! (I’m quite partial to Ham, case you’re interested.) This is beyond rich, and the Book List lady’s comments re McConnohie made me smile. O my, isn’t he a wonder! I had to back track when he did the female holler for help. Murray’s jargon is even more fun on audio than in printed form. I tell you listening in the stillness of the night, lights on low, is just magic. I’m hooked. If I sound obsessed it’s because I am. Eager to rescue Renny, wonder what’s happened to Habeas. And never ever will “here kitty kitty” sound the same.
E. Tomlinson Fort:
The audio production of The Jade Ogre is absolutely terrific. Michael McConnohie has a good narrative voice and the production has nice little music cues throughout. As a novel, the books has its high and low points. There is good character development and the slower’ opening gives Murray plenty of time to set up his narrative. Likewise, I enjoyed the heavy involvement of Pat in this adventure, It is also a nice change to feature Ham without Monk for a good portion of the story. While I enjoy both characters immensely, their constant interaction occasionally needs a break. Having Ham playing a more prominent role is again a clever move by the author.
Brad Bennett:
I just wanted to write you and thank you for your quick service in sending me my order and also a great big thanks for putting out these wonderful operetta/musical comedy radio recordings. I certainly hope they sell and you are able to keep putting more and more out for the public to purchase. So thanks again for your terrific efforts in getting these Railroad Hour’s out for us to buy.
If you’d like to share a comment with us or if you have a question or a suggestion send an email to Service@RadioArchives.com. We’d love to hear from you!
The products you’ve read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you’ll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.
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RIDING THE PULP TRAIL-WESTERN PULP GREATNESS NOW AN EBOOK!

  • News
  • January 10, 2012

From Laurie S. Powers’ Blog-
RIDING THE PULP TRAIL is now available as an eBook for the Nook, the iPad, the iPhone, the iPhoneTouch, and the Kindle!!! At the price of $4.99, you get 340 pages of some of the BEST pulp Western stories around! (Not that I’m biased or anything.)

Here are the links to the various formats:

Buy it at Barnes & Noble for the Nook ($4.99)


Buy it at the Apple store for iPad, iPhone and iPhoneTouch($4.99)

Buy it at Amazon for the Kindle ($4.99)

Here’s what one reviewer has said about RIDING THE PULP TRAIL:

Laurie Powers has been gathering, preserving, researching, and publishing the pulp work of her late grandfather, Paul S. Powers. Here, she has gathered six of his stories that have seen print and six that were previously unpublished in a handsome trade paperback edition. The first story is a reprint, the second unpublished, and so on in that order. There is one Sonny Tabor story. The stories are a delicious mix of action, humor, and colorful characters. All are infused with simple morality and the need for justice in a land where the law is sparse and sometimes suborned by evil. What struck me most about the stories were their seeming freshness, as though they’d been written this year and not 60 or so years ago. Their most pulpish attributes are the titles, which glow purple and proud. A few favorites: “Guns at Jailbird Ranch;” “Buzzards Hate Bullets;” “Judgment Day on Whiskey Trail.”
A huge vote of thanks goes to Laurie Powers for discovering the lost manuscripts, resurrecting the old stories, and making them available in a handsome package. She also contributes an informative introduction detailing her discovery of Paul S. Powers’ career, previously unknown to her, and how she came to gather the stories for this volume. Let’s hope it’s the first of many.

AUDIOCOMICS TEASES UPCOMING DOMINO LADY IN TRAILER!

AUDIOCOMICS TEASES UPCOMING DOMINO LADY IN TRAILER!

  • News
  • January 9, 2012
Domino Lady lives again on the Airwaves in March 2012 thanks to the folks at Audiocomics!  Check out the trailer featuring cast and crew putting together the latest in Pulp Audio!  March 2012 -The Domino Lady in ‘All’s Fair in War’ from Audiocomics!

PRO SE PLANS FOR PULP POETRY IN 2012!

  • News
  • January 2, 2012
Pro Se Productions, a Publisher known to be on the cutting edge of New Pulp, announces an ambitious new project today that, if successful in 2012, will lead to a new imprint from Pro Se in 2013.

According to Tommy Hancock, Editor-in Chief and Partner in Pro Se, “Being a Publisher of both books and magazines, Pro Se obviously gets quite a few queries.  One of the very first we got upon announcing we would be publishing Pulp magazines back in 2010 concerned whether or not we were interested in something described as ‘Pulp, but poetry instead of prose.’   At the time, we weren’t, but that hasn’t stopped the queries from coming in, at least one every week to two weeks about whether or not we’ll accept crime poetry, space poetry, fantasy poetry, and so on.   Well, after a year and a half of requests as well as research and study, Pro Se has decided to test the waters via our magazine, PRO SE PRESENTS, by having an all Pulp Poetry volume.”

When asked to define Pulp Poetry, Hancock stated, “Well, if there’s a definition out there that is clear cut as to what it is, I haven’t found it. Pulp writers, most notably Robert E. Howard, have been known for their poetry as well.  Defining Pulp is subjective often anyway and that is something it has in common with Poetry.  Basically what we’re looking for is poetry that deals with subjects and genres that are a part of Pulp.  So, action, adventure, heroes and villains, conflict, and genre.  Genre is important in determining Pulp Poetry.  Pulp is all about genre, be it western, crime, fantasy, and so on.   So, Pulp Poetry definitely has to be something that deals in a particular genre that is a part of Pulp.”

As far as other requirements for Pulp Poetry, there are no requirements that it rhyme or be a certain length. Hancock stated that submissions would be open from January 2nd to March 1st 2012 for poems to be included in this volume.

The May 2012 issue of PRO SE PRESENTS, the tenth issue of the magazine, will be an all Pulp Poetry issue, edited by newly appointed Pulp Poetry Editor for Pro Se, Megan Smith. 

“I have been writing Poetry,” Smith explained, “since I was little. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t enjoy writing it or reading it.  There has always been an interest in Poetry and with the increase in the interest in Pulp in the last several years, it seems the perfect time to show the world what Pulp Poetry can be.”

Currently the only Pulp Poetry title on the Pro Se Schedule is the special magazine issue scheduled for May 2012.  Smith will serve as editor of Pulp Poetry regardless of the form it continues in, either as a continual part of the magazine format on a monthly basis or as its own line with Pulp Poetry collections in 2013.

“This,” Hancock pointed out, “is an experiment, but it’s one we have full faith in.  Pulp is known for being speculative and a field of literature where anything can happen.  The concept of Pulp Poetry fits perfectly and just wait and see what Pro Se does with it.”

Submissions for the Pulp Poetry volume can be made to Smith at pulppoetryeditor@yahoo.com or to Hancock at proseproductions@earthlink.net.  Submissions must be made by March 1, 2011.

To follow what Pro Se has coming check out www.prosepulp.com and www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com.

PRO SE ANNOUNCES NEW STAFF ADDITIONS FOR 2012!

  • News
  • January 1, 2012
Pro Se Productions, known for its quality books and magazines since coming on the New Pulp scene in 2010, announced today that due to the company’s past success as well as ambitious plans for 2012 and beyond, new positions have been added to the Pro Se Productions staff roster.
“In order to,” Tommy Hancock, Partner and Editor in Chief of Pro Se stated, “not only continue to produce at the quality and level we have been, but to continually improve and exceed that, it has become necessary to spread the work around a bit.  Fortunately there are those who support and believe in Pro Se’s goal of providing the best possible New Pulp fiction it can that have agreed to fill these positions.   They are no strangers to the company and have proven themselves in various other capacities, mostly as writers.  In at least one instance, we are finally giving a title to someone who Pro Se would not be what it is today without.”
The new staffers and their positions are as follows, according to Hancock-
Director of Art and Design- Sean E. Ali.  Hancock said, “This is a position that Sean has had with me since long before Pro Se existed, along with several others like sounding board, critic, friend, and others.  Sean is one of the best designers in New Pulp today and proves that by upping his game with every single new work Pro Se puts out.”
EBook Format and Design Consultant-Russ Anderson.  According to Hancock, “Russ is a godsend in that this is a direction Pro Se has been aimed at for a while.  Now we’re able to pull the trigger and Russ is firing out our eBook versions at a good clip and great quality as well.”
Assistant Editor-Nancy Hansen.  Hancock stated, “I can’t put into words what sort of support Nancy has been as well as the fact that she is one of the most prolific and consistent writers I know.  And there comes a time when the right person presents himself or herself to any EIC that he has to say ‘It’s time to share.’  It’s way past time that I finally took Nancy up on all her offers to help and could think of no one better to assist me.”
Copy Editor-Don Thomas.  As Hancock put it, “Pro Se looks to continually improve and editing is one area where every single publishing company in the world can always do better.  As a part of that we’ve brought on editors to handle specific duties.  Don has been with Pro Se since before our first magazine hit the stands and has a commitment not only to Pro Se, but also to New Pulp.  Handling spelling, grammar, and other basic copyediting is something he has already tackled with dedication and persistence. “
Magazine Editor in Chief -Lee Houston, Jr.  Hancock reported, “Again one of those who has been with Pro Se since our first call for writers, Lee is an amazing individual.  He tackles every project with excitement and passion and wants only the best from himself and Pro Se.   He definitely displayed a great work ethic as a writer and as a genre magazine editor and has already brought that level of ability and dedication to this new position.”  Houston oversees Thomas’ work on the magazine as well as Frank Schildiner, magazine editor.  “Frank,” Hancock added, “is a top hand and continues to prove an asset to Pro Se’s magazine line, especially now that we have streamlined it to one title.”
Pulp Poetry Editor-Megan Smith.   “This,” Hancock explains, “is a position that we created for two reasons.  One is we get more requests than you would think for poetry, both in book and magazine form.  One of the first queries we got was whether or not we published crime poetry.  We didn’t then, but now we want to.  The other reason is we have the person perfect to head up this potential new line already working with Pro Se.  Megan is an up and coming writer, known primarily for Perry Lell from Pro Se as well as giving her face and skills to The Pulptress, a spokesmodel for Pro Se and New Pulp.  Megan is also a fantastic poet and her real passion lies in working with others interested in that.”  More details will follow, according to Hancock, but there will be at least one magazine issue devoted exclusively to Pulp Poetry from Pro Se this year with Smith at the helm.
Other staff members already working with Pro Se include Hancock (Partner and Editor in Chief), Fuller Bumpers (Partner and Chief Executive Officer), and Barry Reese (Submissions Editor).
“These additions,” Hancock noted, “are not simply to look like we’re bigger than we are.  Pro Se has literally grown tremendously in the last year and these positions have become necessary.   We are also considering other positions as well, related primarily to marketing and promotions, but that’s an ongoing process.”
To follow or get more information on Pro Se, check out www.prosepulp.com and www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com.

FORTIER TAKES ON MAC’S NATE HELLER IN ‘CHICAGO LIGHTNING’!

  • News
  • January 1, 2012

ALL PULP REVIEWS by Ron Fortier
CHICAGO LIGHTNING
By Max Allan Collins
Thomas & Mercer
373 pages
Sixty three year old Max Collins has been at this writing game for a while coming onto the mystery private-eye scene with his 1994 Shamus Award winning “True Detective,” published the year before.  Since that monumental debut, Collins has gone on to produce several continuing series both in comics and prose; these include his comic book female P.I. Ms. Tree and the morally ambiguous hit-man, Quarry. The one fictional character Collins is most recognized for is Nathan Heller from his historical crime novels.   Heller is a Chicago based investigator who over the course of his career rubs shoulders with personalities such as Al Capone and Eliot Ness and worked on such mysteries as the Lindberg baby kidnapping and the disappearance of aviatrix Amelia Earhart.  His most recent Heller case was the critically acclaimed “Bye Bye Baby” wherein the fiftyish shamus becames involved with the death of Marilyn Monroe.  All of these books are excellent and worthy of your time and attention.
Over the years Collins, at the request of anthology editors, also penned short stories featuring Heller.  With the assistance of his research colleague, George Hagenauer, Collins adapted true crime stories and then wove his tough guy hero into their fabric so that the history and fiction elements become indistinguishable.  This volume has taken that baker’s dozen and for the very first time presented them in chronological order from the first which occurs in 1933 to the last set in 1949.  The settings range from Chicago to Cleveland and Hollywood.  Here is a sampling of what is included between the covers.
“Kaddish for the Kid,” Heller is hired to protect a retailer from a crooked union scam in reality a protection racket.  During a street shootout, his young partner is killed and the angry private dick goes after the killers with a vengeance.
“The Blonde Tigress,” has Heller investigating a trio of stick-up artists led by a female boss who tries to manipulate him into aiding her escape justice.
“Private Consultation,” has a well known Chicago doctor accused for murdering her daughter-in-law and her son hires Heller to investigate. What he uncovers is a sad testimony to a loveless marriage where none of the participants are innocent of wrong doing.
The Perfect Crime,” finds Heller in Los Angeles to help a friend. Before he can pack up and head home, he’s hired by the beautiful blonde star, Thelma Todd to act as her bodyguard. Miss Todd suspects mobsters wish to do her harm for refusing to allow Lucky Luciano to use the top floors of her famous restaurant as a casino.  When she is found dead in her garage from carbon monoxide poisoning, Heller knows the coroner’s accidental death ruling is pure bunk. He decides to extend his trip to catch a killer.
In “House Call” a caring doctor is brutally murdered while answering a night summons to aid a sick child.  This time Heller joins forces with the Chicago P.D. to hunt down the vicious killers and bring them to justice.
“Marble Mildred” tells the story of woman trapped for fourteen years in a loveless marriage who discovers a humiliating secret which she’d rather go to the electric chair rather than having it made public.  A tragedy Heller is helpless to prevent.
“The Strawberry Teardrop” is based on the case of Cleveland serial killer, the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run and how he was finally caught by the famous lawman Eliot Ness.
There is not a lemon in the batch.  Collins writing style is terse and economically efficient.  He uses words like a scalpel carving up the psychological motivations that induce people to do bad things.  All the while Nathan Heller is his surgeon, meting out equally doses of justice and compassion.  The title, “Chicago Lightning,” is gangster slang for gunfire and is only fitting as this book comes heavily loaded with pure pulp pizzaz.  Don’t miss it.

Classic Music, Pulp AudioBooks, and Pulp Book Store Specials and More from Radio Archives!

  • News
  • December 30, 2011
 
December 30, 2011
 
NEW Radio Set: The Railroad Hour, Volume 3

“Ladies and Gentlemen, The Railroad Hour!” This opening line, delivered by announcer Marvin Miller, along with whistles, hissing steam escaping from smoke stacks, and other train sounds heralded the beginning of each episode of one of the most beloved, often sought after music programs of the golden age of radio! Gordon MacRae, noted baritone, acted as conductor as he led listeners through recreations of musicals, operettas, and even the careers of some of the greatest American composers and lyricists each week. You can take the same ride now on The Railroad Hour, Volume 3.

 
Sponsored by the Association of American Railroads, The Railroad Hour presented vest-pocket versions of some of the most popular and beloved musicals and operettas of all time – everything from the romantic melodies of Victor Herbert and Sigmund Romberg to the modern musical comedies of Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, and Lorenz Hart. In these lush and tuneful half-hours, star and leading man Gordon MacRae was joined by a host of leading ladies. In his role as host and leading man, MacRae generally narrated the programs, giving listeners the basic structure of the plot as the show went along.
 
The job of adapting massive musicals and full-scale operettas into a 45 minute format, the original length ‘The Radio Hour’ ran when it debuted initially on ABC, fell to Jean Holloway and the writing team of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. Holloway, who herself was also a singer and musician, had earlier written for such programs as “The Kate Smith Hour” and “Mr. President”, while Lawrence and Lee had honed their writing skills as two of the first staff members of the Armed Forces Radio Service during World War II. All three had considerable knowledge of both music and theater; Lawrence and Lee, in fact, would in later years write the Broadway classic “Auntie Mame” and its musical counterpart “Mame”, as well as such well-known plays as “Inherit the Wind” and “The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail”.
 
The Railroad Hour, Volume 3 is a special collection of this classic program. First appearing on ABC, The Railroad Hour was a 45-minute program. This collection is six episodes from that run, shows that provide not only outstanding entertainment for today’s listeners but that also stand as a tribute to the talent and production techniques that went into their creation so many years ago. Enjoy Classic Music and Classic Radio at its best by getting The Railroad Hour, Volume 3 today for only $17.98 on Audio CDs or $11.98 as a Digital Download!
 
by Tommy Hancock
 

“If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me…”
 
Simply reading those words inspires someone to step up, ready to tackle whatever action and trouble might come their way. When you hear Captain Bart Friday say them at the opening of each episode of Adventures by Morse, you’ll be ready to run off and join the circus, the Foreign Legion, the Merchant Marines, and all before lunch!
 
Best known for his classic pulpy I Love a Mystery and the serial drama One Man’s Family, Carlton E. Morse stands out as one of the best writers from the era of old time radio. A series from Morse that is, in my opinion, as good as his best known works, is the one with his name in it. Adventures by Morse is similar in format to I Love A Mystery. Both shows have strong male leads and center on men who encounter guns, fists, mysteries, and more danger than a Sam Peckinpah film on speed can muster before they finally win the day. Although I Love A Mystery is better known and for valid reasons, it’s a show that is sometimes action centered, other times focused on the ‘Mystery’ in the title, and at times has some inconsistencies due to this. Adventures by Morse, on the other hand, is unabashedly squarely set in the pulpy Adventure genre and captures the atmosphere and the pacing that modern listeners will recognize as being one of the reasons they love the Indiana Jones movies.
 
The series is straight forward, just like a roundhouse in a South Seas Island bar fight. Captain Bart Friday and his cohort Skip Turner get mixed up in strange escapades involving exotic locales, strange villains, and mystical magical encounters with damsels, goons, and life and death moments aplenty! This collection includes two serials, “The City of the Dead” and “The Cobra King Strikes Back.” Both of these stories are dead on adventure tales, stories that sweat blood and danger and move at a clip that keeps the listener tangled up in all the twists and turns. Comparing the two, I prefer City of the Dead only slightly due to the fact it builds tension a bit better than The Cobra King Strikes Back. Having said that, the performances in The Cobra King are a bit more spot on, but not by much. All in all, both of these cliffhanger laden serials in Adventures by Morse, Volume 1 deliver in every way a good adventure tale should! Available on Audio CDs for $29.98 and for digital downloads for $19.98 from Radio Archives.
 
 
 
The audiobook of Will Murray’s monumental Doc Savage adventure The Jade Ogre is a feature-length excursion into one of the Bronze Man’s most exotic adventures.
“The Jade Ogre makes a wonderful listening experience,” Producer/Director Roger Rittner says. “Will has packed a cast of colorful characters, plus mystery, intrigue, action, adventure, and a bit of mysticism into an heroic tale. It’s an epic adventure to be savored.”
Based on an outline by Lester Dent, the massive The Jade Ogre carries the listener from the fog-shrouded streets of 1935 Chinatown San Francisco, to the crumbling ruins of an ancient temple in Cambodia.
 
Accompanied by his aides Monk Mayfair and Ham Brooks, his cousin Pat Savage, and a cast of unique characters, Doc races to unlock the secret of the Jade Ogre, a fantastic Oriental villain who unleashes death in the form of disembodied flying arms, capable of disintegrating its victims in a flash of fire. But the lethal flying arms are merely the cover for a more deadly menace – the mysterious Jade Fever, which strikes down its victims with a deadly virus that turns its victims green as jade.
Narrator Michael McConnohie essays every role in the story with unerring vocal impressions that give life to Murray’s distinctive characters.
In addition to the 36-chapter story, the 12-CD set includes two bonus audio features: a continuation of Will Murray’s discussion of the creation of Doc Savage, and his memory of creating The Jade Ogre from Lester Dent’s notes, plus how Pat Savage has contributed to the Doc Savage canon.
The Jade Ogre is available now from RadioArchives.com at $37.98 for the deluxe 12-CD set, or $25.98 for instant digital download.
For over-the-top thrills, you can’t beat Prince of the Red Looters, the first audiobook from RadioArchives.com featuring the pulp hero, The Spider.
“With extensive sound effects and complete period music score, Prince of the Red Looters is an almost ‘cinematic’ experience for listeners,’ says Producer/Director Roger Rittner. “Customers are telling us it’s like a movie playing in your mind.”
Narrating Norvel Page’s propulsive prose, stage and screen stars Nick Santa Maria and Robin Riker give life to the sword fights, escapes, insurmountable odds, nail-biting suspense, and unexpected twists in Prince of the Red Looters.
Prince of the Red Looters is available in a 6-CD deluxe set at just $19.98, or as an instant digital download at just $14.98.

A nameless mystery man with a wartime past in the Intelligence service. Declared dead by the Department of Justice. Now backed by a shadowy group of powerful philanthropists, to infiltrate the Underworld and crush crime in all of its hideous manifestations.
 
Secret Agent “X” was one of the most unusual pulp adventurers ever, and also one of the most action-filled continuing characters in its day. Now The Torture Trust, the latest entry in RadioArchives.com’s Will Murray’s Pulp Classics audiobook series, provides thrills and chills to pulp and audiobook fans alike.
 
The Torture Trust introduces the mysterious nemesis of the most nefarious criminals the pulp writers could dream up. In it, Secret Agent “X” pits all his secretive skill and devious daring against a criminal triad that wields face-destroying acid as an instrument of blackmail.
 
Read by noted voiceover actor Dave Mallow, The Torture Trust takes listeners into the dark and sinister world of this fantastic mystery man.
 
Scoop, the online blog about pulps, comics, and all things collectable, says, “The Torture Trust is a danger-a-minute audio introduction to this fondly remembered pulp avenger of the 1930s. The Torture Trust will provide thrills and chills to pulp and audiobook fans alike. “
 
The deluxe five-CD set of The Torture Trust is just $14.98. The instant download version is just $9.98.

Python Isle, RadioArchives.com’s first Doc Savage audiobook, continues to delight listeners. In Booklist, the 100-year-old journal of the American Library Association, Kaite Mediatore Stover says that Python Isle, the first Doc Savage audiobook from Radio Archives.com, “takes listeners on a breathless, roller-coaster adventure ride. Michael McConnohie’s masterful pacing keeps the tension and suspense tighter than a python’s grip, and a superb blend of sound effects and music enhance the mood, lending the production a cinematic feel.”
 
The full-cast NPR series The Adventures of Doc Savage presents special adaptations of “Fear Cay” and “The Thousand-Headed Man” by Roger Rittner and Will Murray. Featuring a full cast of voice actors, extensive sound effects, and period music score, The Adventures of Doc Savage is non-stop action in 13 exciting installments.
 

A super-criminal emerges in White Eyes, the second Doc Savage audiobook from RadioArchives.com. From his skyscraper headquarters high above the streets of New York City to the sugarcane fields of Cuba, Doc Savage races to crush gangland’s latest uncrowned king. White Eyes features dramatic narration by Richard Epcar, cover art by Joe DeVito, plus fantastic extras.
 

The first Black Bat audiobook, Brand of the Black Bat, is a stirring story of crime and corruption, and of a courageous avenger – district attorney Anthony Quinn – determined to track down the vicious gangster who robbed him of his brilliant career, all the while thwarting Captain MacGrath of the N.Y.P.D., who suspects Quinn and the Black Bat are one and the same. Michael McConnohie reads this fantastic tale.
 
RadioArchives.com resurrects the wild and wonderful Doctor Death, one of the rare unabashedly supernatural pulp series. Equal parts Doctor Frankenstein and Albert Einstein, with a dash of Fu Manchu, Doctor Death’s supreme goal in life was to crush civilization. His first fatal foray into reversing mankind’s fortunes, 12 Must Die, is now available in an audiobook read by television and animé star Joey D’Auria.
 
 
By Larry Josephson, Bob & Ray’s long time producer
 
Bob & Ray are classic American humorists who started in 1946 at WHDH, Boston. Bob was a disc jockey, Ray a newscaster. They riffed during the handoffs, something like local news anchors do today, only funnier. The station liked them so much they were given a daily afternoon show, “Matinee with Bob & Ray.” When Red Sox or Braves games were delayed by rain Bob & Ray filled in with their special brand of humor. Some of these shows are included in our RadioArt® Bob & Ray albums.
 
In 1951 NBC brought them to New York to work on Monitor and to do a nightly 15-minute television show that followed the Camel News Caravan. Cloris Leachman or Audrey Meadows played Linda Lovely. On radio Ray did all the female characters like Mary McGoon and Mary Backstayge in falsetto. For the television show, they shot Ray from the neck down wearing a house dress.
 
During their 40-year career, Bob & Ray appeared on just about every radio and television network, and on major local New York stations WOR, WINS, and WHN. I invited them to perform at a conference I organized for public radio producers and managers held in Glen Cove, NY in the spring of 1981. They were a big hit with the 20- and 30-something audience. I called Bob & Ray the next day to ask them to do a series for NPR, The Bob & Ray Public Radio Show. They had been off the air for several years, but were busy doing commercials for a wide range of clients, including Piels Beer. They played Bert and Harry Piel in a legendary series of animated spots. Great advertising, lousy beer! Many of their commercials, including the Piels spots, are on our albums. (BR004, BR006, BR009. BR015, BR017, BR018)
 
The NPR shows are captured on the Best of Bob & Ray, Volumes 1-4, BR001-BR004). In 1984 I produced two sold-out concerts in Carnegie Hall. The Carnegie Hall shows turned out to be Bob & Ray’s farewell performances (Ray died in 1990). They are captured on our album, “Bob & Ray: A Night of Two Stars, recorded live in Carnegie Hall.” (BR 026).
 
Bob & Ray’s targets–commercials, infomercials, game shows, soap operas, fatuous radio shrinks, bloviating politicians, rigged contests, and public service announcements from corporations who “really care” about the environment—are still with us in the cable age, only more so.
 
Bob & Ray is for smart people: they’re satirists, not comedians. They don’t tell jokes like Bob Hope or do stupid physical comedy like The Three Stooges. Many of their routines run more than 4 minutes. The joke slowly builds until it explodes in your mind.
 
Bob & Ray were admired and imitated by every comedian and humorist of their time, including Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, David Letterman, George Carlin, Garrison Keillor, Kurt Vonnegut and Andy Rooney. Many of them “borrowed” Bob & Ray material and characters. Keillor’s “writer,” Nattily Dressed, is very close to Bob & Ray’s Nattily Attired. Lifting material has long been a part of comedy tradition. Bob & Ray were inspired by two old time radio shows, “Vic and Sade,” and by Raymond Knight’s “Cuckoo Hour.”
 
Their signature routine, “The Slow Talkers of America,” belongs in the comedy pantheon alongside Abbot and Costello’s “Who’s on First?” and Jack Benny’s “Your Money or Your Life.”
 
Some of my favorite things about Bob & Ray include their sheer intelligence and talent; their acute ear for language, cant and cliché; their sense of timing; the hundreds of characters they created, all performed either by Bob or Ray, including the immortal Wally Ballou (–ly Ballou); the lovable Marys (McGoon and Backstayge) and affable dolts like Webley Webster. Their work is deeply moral. They used humor to express their anger at the corruption and stupidity of much of American culture. And to make people laugh.
 
I’ve devoted 30 years of my life to collecting and restoring Bob & Ray recordings for old and new fans. Bob & Ray’s humor is ageless. You needn’t have heard “Mary Noble, Backstage Wife” to enjoy “Mary Backstayge, Noble Wife,” absurd on its face. Knowing the original adds to your enjoyment of the parody, but it works either way. The one exception might be “Awful Godfrey, “a thinly disguised Arthur Godfrey, who was, by reputation, a vain and viscous man (he famously fired singer Julius LaRosa on the air for “lack of humility”). Bob & Ray’s parody of Godfrey skewers him expertly. Bob’s impression of Godfrey is uncanny.
 
We offer more than 100 hours of Bob & Ray and Jean Shepherd on CD, including “The Very Best of Bob & Ray,” 5 hours on 4 CDs, selected from all of our CDs (BR024). It’s the perfect starter album, and makes a great gift. The booklet includes a long, insightful essay on Bob & Ray by the Canadian critic, Kerrie Mills. Worth the price alone.
 
I’ve remained Bob & Ray’s producer for all these years simply because they make me laugh. When asked how their partnership lasted 40 years, they replied, “We made each other laugh.” (They also didn’t spend much time together after work.) I hope the current generation of Bob & Ray fans will buy these CDs and pass them down to their children and grandchildren, keeping Bob & Ray alive forever. I’m pleased that Bob & Ray have now joined the Radio Archives collection.
 
Enjoy!
 
Hang By Your Thumbs, and don’t forget to Write If You Get Work.
 
-Larry Josephson, proud to have been Bob & Ray’s producer for 30 years and counting.
 
 

Doc Savage and his beautiful cousin Patricia battle threats to national security in pulp classics by Evelyn Coulson and Lester Dent writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, while testing an experimental plane for the Army, Renny disappears after his airship is engulfed by The Yellow Cloud. Then, what has transformed Monk, Ham and Johnny into cowardly Men of Fear? The incredible secret could end the war, unless Nazi agents seize it first. This special collectors edition showcases the original color pulp covers by Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray, author of eight Doc Savage novels. Available now for $14.95!
 

The Pulp Era’s strangest mystery man returns in two more epic adventures by Paul Ernst writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, can Justice, Inc. prevent secrets of an ancient civilization buried for centuries in The River of Ice from destroying the modern world? Then, scientists in Paris, Berlin and Montreal exhale fire as they die, setting The Avenger on the trail of The Flame Breathers and a deadly secret that threatens to plunge the world into a fiery infernal! BONUS: a thrilling adventure of Police Commissioner James Gordon, a.k.a. The Whisperer! This classic pulp reprint showcases H. W. Scott’s classic pulp covers, all the original interior illustrations by Paul Orban, and historical commentary by Will Murray. This fantastic reprint is only $14.95 in the Pulp Book Store!
 

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! The Master of Darkness, agent Clyde Burke and Secret Service agent Vic Marquette investigate deadly plots in two thrilling pulp novels by Walter Gibson as “Maxwell Grant.” First, The Shadow’s investigation of The Embassy Murders unearths a sinister plot that threatens world peace. Then, the kidnapping of Clyde Burke leads The Shadow and his agents on a winding murder trail through New Jersey’s Hills of Death. BONUS: a two-fisted adventure of Police Commissioner James Gordon, a.k.a. The Whisperer! This instant collectors’ item features both classic cover paintings by George Rozen, the original interior pulp illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier and historical commentary by popular culture historians Anthony Tollin and Will Murray. And it can be yours for $14.95!
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three fantastic Pulp Replicas featuring classic Pulp Heroes and Tales and designed to give readers and collectors the experience of holding an actual pulp!
 

 
Already the best place to find Classic and New Pulp tales and Pulp related products from the best companies in the business, The Pulp Book Store goes itself one better! The Treasure Chest, the place to find great deals, now exclusively features products for the Pulp Book Store! Just click on the Treasure Chest on the Pulp Book Store Page and you’ll find fantastic monthly discounts on an ever changing variety of items from our various stores! Check the Treasure Chest now to see what great discounts await everyone from the avid Pulp Fan to the casual reader! The Treasure Chest is Open now in the Pulp Book Store!
 
 
 
 
Review of “Doc Savage, Supreme Adventurer” from Doc Savage, Volume 15

By Dr. Art Sippo

In December, 1932 Lester Dent was assigned the job of writing the first story for the planned Doc Savage Magazine. To assist him, the magazine’s editor, John Nanovic, wrote a brief story showcasing the Doc Savage character and his five associates. It was entitled Doc Savage, Supreme Adventurer. Doc and his five men travel to Central America and find a lost tribe of Indians who possess a massive treasure in God. Doc’s father had arranged for this to be his son’s legacy. But corrupt government officials in the Central American country want to hijack the treasure for themselves. They already killed the elder Savage and now they are trying to kill Doc.
 
The portrait of Doc and his aides in this story is not quite what we have come to know through the Classic pulp series. Dent recast the characters and rewrote the story to give us the initial Doc Savage saga “The Man of Bronze.” Along the way he crafted a cast of unforgettable characters upon whom he had left his own literary stamp.
 
But the story “Doc Savage, Supreme Adventurer” is the first Doc Savage story ever written and is of significant importance in the origin and development of the series. As a bonus, this story contains the complete text of the letter Clark Savage Sr. had written to his son which was only quoted in part in “The Man of Bronze.” Every true Doc Savage fan needs to read this story. We are indebted to Anthony Tollin and Will Murray for including it in their reprint series.
 
Get your copy of this piece of Doc Savage History, ‘Doc Savage, Supreme Adventurer’ along with another classic Doc Savage Pulp tale today in Doc Savage Volume 15 for only $12.95 from Radio Archives!
 
Comments From Our Customers!
 
Dominick Cancilla:
I’m loving all the audiobooks!
 
Kenneth D. Schwartz:
Just listened to Music of the 1930s, Vol. I and every show in this collection is a gem, even if hearing Harry Richman singing about “darkies” and “pickaninnies” made me cringe. I understand that those were the times. But thanks for another marvelous collection.
 
Tom C. Miller:
I wanted to thank you for all of your support in offering old-time radio shows. I especially like it when you describe where your transcription discs came from and how they were preserved. Moreover I am continually surprised how much of the stuff was actually saved over the years. Thanks for bringing it alive again.
 
Barney McCasland:
Jade Ogre took me longer to read, due to its length, but it was great! As always, Michael McConnohie was the perfect narrator. I enjoyed The Torture Trust, but not nearly as much as the other series. I thought Dave Mallow did an excellent job of narrating it. Really excited and anxious for audio pulps 2012. Keep up the great work!
 
If you’d like to share a comment with us or if you have a question or a suggestion send an email to Service@RadioArchives.com. We’d love to hear from you!
 
The products you’ve read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you’ll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.
 
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