Category: News

VP Candidate Rep. Paul Ryan and “Smiler” Gary Callahan from “Transmetropolitan”

paul-ryan-gary-callahan-smiler-8734298In light of Mitt Romney’s announcement of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate for the 2012 Presidential Election, we’d like to point back to our article from April of 2011:

On the left is Gary Callahan, a.k.a. The Smiler, from Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson‘s Transmetropolitan. On the right is U.S. Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI), Chairman of the House Budget Committee.

One of these individuals has good looks and a certain amount of charisma, but has no empathy for the lower classes of society. He has designs on the presidency, and will cut odious political deals to make that happen, all while being fawned over by right wing pundits and a segment of the voters who are convinced that he will save us from “the Beast”.

The other, of course, is a character out of the comic books.

For further comparison, consider this page from Transmetropolitan #41 (reprinted in Transmetropolitan TPB #7: Spider’s Thrash) and remember that this first came out over ten years ago. It certainly sounds like something Ryan has in his campaign platform…

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Here, let me transcribe it so the other spiders can get to it:

You have to understand that the care system of the country cannot be taken for granted. It is not American to swaddle you in cotton wool from cradle to grave. It is the mark of a mature country that you, too, take responsibility for your life and the lives of those around you.

We are not big government. We do not own you. These streets are your streets. Therefore it is you, in your greatness as Americans, who must care for your streets.

And the people on them.

Care for your community. Because we can’t do it for you.

To paraphrase Warren Ellis, the only future worth talking about in science fiction is the future we’re living in.

MUTUAL, THE SPIDER, DIGITAL DOWNLOADS, AND MORE FROM RADIO ARCHIVES!

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

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August 10, 2012
 
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What would it take to recapture the glory of the golden age of radio and still incorporate the stars and even stories of a more modern time? This query was answered extremely well in 1980 by one program, 20 of its episodes collected in Mutual Radio Theater, Volume 2 from Radio Archives!
 
At a time when radio drama was attempting a comeback, The Sears Radio Theater made a move and name change to Mutual, becoming the Mutual Radio Theater. Mutual answered the age old question of blending the classic with the modern by doing just that. Producing a show that put legends of the Radio Drama era to work side by side with modern up and coming stars of television and film!
 
The Mutual Radio Theater featured stories written by radio greats such as Arch Oboler, Norman Corwin, and Elliot Lewis. These scribes brought their formidable talents to bear on this kaleidoscopic show, providing solid scripts for every genre the show represented five nights a week. Oboler’s atmospheric twists, Corwin’s realistic, often revealing takes on American life, and Lewis’ understanding of what made listeners laugh, cry, and cringe blended well with the work of modern storytellers to make Mutual Radio Theater an instant classic.
 
Presenting the entire run of Mutual Radio Theater in five collections, Radio Archives proudly presents 20 Stereo episodes in Mutual Radio Theater, Volume 2! Each show is presented in the highest quality and features writing and performances from the best of classic and more modern entertainment!
 
Priced at only $59.98, Save $20.00 for the next two weeks with our Introductory Price of $39.98! Volume 1 was one of our best selling radio sets in 2012. Make sure you get Volume 2 today. See below for a very special price on the download version.
 
 
Every week the Archives receives comments like this. “If Radio Archives begins offering download versions of its products, please let me know.” Radio Archives has been offering all of our audio sets in two formats for the last year. The very popular Audio CDs and MP3 Digital Downloads.
 
For well over a decade, Radio Archives has been known for our Sparkling audio quality of our Old Time Radio collections and it’s no wonder. We insist upon finding the absolute best quality masters, then carefully restoring them so that they retain all of the audio luster of the original recordings with none of the crackle, pops, hiss, or muffling so often heard in radio shows from other sources. Now, with Digital Downloads, Radio Archives gives you the same quality of work and restoration in each set. That’s why every classic radio collection you download from Radio Archives comes to you as a zip file containing each individual show, encoded as a mono 128 kpbs MP3 file with a sampling rate of 44,100. As audiophiles know 128 kbps Mono is the same quality as 256 kbps Stereo.
 
Some of you may be asking, “Just what is a digital download?” Put simply, it is a MP3 computer file. Digital Downloads from RadioArchives.com come to you as high bitrate MP3 files to ensure that you’ll enjoy the same sparkling audio fidelity as in our Audio CD sets. You receive the files in minutes, save postage, and you can play them on your computer, iPhone or Android phone, or on your favorite portable device. Whether you live in Seattle, Stockholm, or San Juan, each downloadable collection is available worldwide and you can carry hundreds of hours of our radio shows on devices that fit in your shirt pocket!
 
All new CD sets released by Radio Archives are available as downloads and most of our 200 Radio sets are available for download. If you find the odd set that isn’t available, send us an email and we will put that set next on the list to produce.
 
Digital Downloads make it easy for you to take the drama, comedy, music, mystery, and history of classic radio with you wherever you go. Solve mysteries along with Phillip Marlowe, Johnny Dollar, Boston Blackie and more as you make your morning walk. Laugh and chortle at the antics of Fibber McGee and Molly, Jimmy Durante, Amos and Andy and others while doing chores around the house. Tap your foot to the tunes of Jolson, Ellington, and the best of the big bands while driving, at work, anytime you want from the mobile device of your choice. Now all of these great sets can also be purchased as Digital Downloads – and at a price considerably lower than the comparable CD set! Just visit RadioArchives.com today, place your order, download your sets, and in just minutes you’ll be enjoying some great audio entertainment.
 

Buying Digital Downloads is just as easy as being able to take your favorite shows with you and we’ll show you how!
 
Let’s say you want to purchase the NEW Mutual Radio Theater, Volume 2 that was released today. First go to the Radio Archives Home page and click on the OLD TIME RADIO button on the left or use the handy Search tool at the top of the main menu. Or click on the product above in the newsletter.
 
Click on the Drama category and click on Mutual Radio Theater, Volume 2 image. You’ll be taken to the Liner Notes for the CD version of that collection.
 
 
Next to the Front Cover, you’ll see the pricing for the Audio CD version and it happens to be on sale today. Prefer the Digital Download version? Click the ‘Go to Download Version’ button and you’ll see the download version. Add the download version to your shopping cart, proceed with checkout, and you’ll instantly be able to download a ZIP file containing MP3s of all of the shows in the set. In just a few seconds, you’ll be listening to the ‘Mutual Radio Theater!’ This is one of the simpliest downloads available anywhere.
 
 
On the road, around the house, in the yard, wherever you are, Digital Downloads from Radio Archives means you can take the best of old time radio and pulp audiobooks with you every where.
 
We are proud of our Downloads and would love you to try one. For the Next Two Weeks, you can get Digital Downloads of any of our Old Time Radio sets for 50% off the regular Audio CD version price!
 
Take a look at the Old Time Radio section of the website and you’ll see just how much variety there is. Such long-time customer favorites as the classic police drama “Calling All Cars”, the western adventure series “The Cisco Kid”, the high-flying adventures of America’s favorite free-lance insurance investigator “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar”, the fantastic musical numbers of shows like “ The Railroad Hour” and “Date with The Duke” and so many more can now be yours at the specially discounted price of 50% off the Audio CD version price for the next two weeks! TIP: Since the Audio CD version of the Mutual Radio Theater, Volume 2 is on sale, you also get the download version at 50% off the sale price, but only for the next two weeks.
 
Digital Downloads fromRadioArchives.com literally give you the best of everything- The same sparkling high quality audio content as our compact disc collections at a reduced price, Delivery immediately upon payment, and the ability to play them on your phone, computer, or portable device! Purchase the audio collections you love and enjoy them in a whole new way!
 
Still not sure if Digital Downloads are for you. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. After trying the downloads and if it isn’t your cup of tea, we’ll refund your money in full, no questions asked. We think you’ll love it.
 

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Audiobook Reviews – The Spider “The Flame Master”
by Derrick Ferguson
 

The one thing you have do before listening to a Spider audiobook, any Spider audiobook is realize that what you’re going to hear is gloriously, outrageously, outstandingly nuts. There’s no other way to describe a Spider adventure. But it’s a good nuts. One that entertains like few other pulp heroes can. A Spider adventure is like a shot of turbocharged adrenaline injected directly into your brain. It’s always apocalyptic on an Old Testament level with a body count high enough that I frankly give up trying to estimate how many people, guilty and innocents alike get killed in a Spider adventure.
 
The Flame Master is no different in this respect as it features a bizarre opponent for The Spider to battle: Aronk Dong, who claims to be a prince from the planet Mars. If that wasn’t enough, Aronk Dong appears to be half-man, half-lion. The Spider thinks it’s some sort of elaborate make-up until he’s on the receiving end of Aronk Dong’s claws. From then on, Richard Wentworth isn’t so sure this character isn’t for real. And if that wasn’t enough, Aronk Dong can apparently cause lightning to strike whenever and whoever he wishes at will.
 
Like the other Spider audiobooks I’ve been entertained by, this one comes complete with music and sound effects that greatly enhance the drama and really helps to get into the headlong, non-stop pace of the story. I really enjoy Nick Santa Maria’s voice work as it sounds as if he’s right at my elbow, telling me this story as urgently as he can before he’s interrupted. Robin Riker voices Nina Van Sloan and I love it. I always prefer when women do the voices of women character in audiobooks as it really doesn’t work for me when a man does a women’s voice because that’s usually what it sounds like: a man trying to sound like a women. Here in The Flame Master, Robin Riker’s wonderful work helps greatly, along with the music and sound effects to the feeling that I’m listening to a drama.
 

I’ve gotten so spoiled by Radio Archives series of Spider audiobooks that I’m actually reluctant to read the books as I’ve gotten hooked on hearing the voices of the characters and listening to the excellent production values of these excellent audiobooks. The Flame Master is yet another jewel in the crown of Spider audiobooks and well worth your time. Enjoy.
 
By Visionsmyth on Amazon
 
Imagine if somebody had produced a Doc Savage radio serial back in the ‘30’s or ‘40’s. Then imagine if the surviving copies were clean, clear, and had stereo capability. These are just plain FUN, produced in the manner of old radio serials but with all the modern amenities available to current technology – at least, 1980s technology, which was pretty darn good.
 
This series captures the style of serials produced when the Doc Savage adventures were written, and the actor selection was terrific. Renny sounds like Renny, Monk sounds the way Dent described him, Pat sounds like Pat. Some of the “evil vilian” accents are fairly cheesy (sorry), but then, that would likely be true if they were produced in the 30s, so at least it’s authentic cheesiness.
 
One extra CD includes production commentary, which I really enjoyed. Another has examples of other radio productions, also great fun. I only wish the movie developers had approached their project with the same intent and respect as these radio producers. Are you listening, Hollywood?
 

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The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge Ebooks! Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your E-Reader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator 5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like Doctor Death and more, Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday’s Pulp today!
 
Five new golden age Pulp tales exquisitely reformatted into visually stunning E-books!

 

Fear stalked the corridors and offices on Capitol Hill, for it was from the ranks of the mighty — the rulers and lawmakers of America — that the Silver Assassins sought their victims! Singly, in pairs and in numbered groups they died, laying down their lives for their country — while panic spread, and the Spider, alone aware of the terrific catastrophe which impended, fought through black, bodiless shadows to reach and destroy the menace which festered underground! Another epic exploit of America’s best-loved pulp-fiction character of the 1930s and 1940s: The Spider — Master of Men! As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction: “Meet the Spider” especially for this series of eBooks.
 
The Spider #14 Death’s Crimson Juggernaut

Hideous maniacal laughter shattered the dark silence of ghostly tenements. Sleepy-eyed men and women, stumbling through the dim halls of the building, found a sight that chilled their souls with terror. On a blank wall, spikes driven through her, hands and feet, blood coursing down her arms and breasts in tiny rivulets, a beautiful young woman was hanging, crucified, dying. Still another victim of the Torture Trust! And while panic spreads, while hundreds die victims of the Killers, the Spider is blinded, his faithful servants imprisoned, his friends dishonored! How can Richard Wentworth, desperate and alone, combat the powerful, well-organized Murder Syndicate whose gun hirelings hunt him down like a vicious mad dog? Another epic exploit of America’s best-loved pulp-fiction character of the 1930s and 1940s: The Spider — Master of Men! As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction: “Meet the Spider” especially for this series of eBooks.

 

The news spread like wild-fire. A man had solved the problem of the ages — he was bringing the dead back to life! Operator 5, ace of the American Secret Service, recognized the grave menace. He realized the danger if the gigantic advances of modern science were employed selfishly by unscrupulous men. And that precisely was the danger facing his native land! The Master of Death, using the promise of life everlasting, was cunningly building an army of fanatic, half-mad followers, men who were burning, pillaging and slaying at the will of the man-monster they worshipped!
 
Jimmy Christopher, clean-cut, square-jawed and clear-eyed, was the star of the most audacious pulp magazines ever conceived — Operator #5. Savage would-be conquerors, creepy cults, weird weather-controllers and famine-creating menaces to our mid-western breadbasket… these were but a few of the fiendish horrors that Jimmy Christopher was forced to confront. Operator #5 returns in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction especially for this series of Operator #5 eBooks.

 
Four powerful factions work at cosmic cross purposes in a game of system-wide stakes as Curt Newton and his staunch comrades set out to create a brand new planet to add to the family of the Sun! Captain Future… the Ace of Space! Born and raised on the moon, Curt Newton survived the murder of his scientist parents to become the protector of the galaxy known as Captain Future. With his Futuremen, Grag the giant robot, Otho, the shape-shifting android and Simon Wright, the Living Brain, he patrols the solar system in the fastest space ship ever constructed, the Comet, pursuing human monsters and alien threats to Earth and her neighbor planets.

 

The Scorpion #1 Satan’s Incubator
Wholesale murder-madness gripped an entire city when mothers killed their own children and husbands slew the wives they loved! Only two people knew the dread cause of this charnel-house terror; one was the Scorpion, relentless crime-master who would ride to power on the red crest of the death-mania. The other was the honest little medico of mystery — Dr. Skull!
 
The Scorpion was the pinnacle of weird menace. He appeared once, in a single pulp magazine issue, and never appeared again. The magazine never made to a series, for some reason. It was over-the-top action and audacious horror-thrills.  A classic, the likes of which has never been seen again! One of the rare supernatural series the pulps, The Scorpion returns in this vintage pulp tale, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format.
 

When you purchase these beautifully reformatted eBooks from RadioArchives.com you receive all three formats in one ZIP file: PDF for PC or Mac computer; Mobi for Kindle and ePub for iPad/IPhone, Android, Sony eReader, and Nook. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook novels to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, now available in the Kindle store and the Barnes and Noble Nook store! The best Pulp eBooks now available for only $2.99 each from Radio Archives!
 
ebook1centoffer-35548791 cent Spider eBook!

 
For a limited time you can now download an exciting original Spider adventure for just one thin penny! Part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line, The Spider #11, Prince of the Red Looters first saw print in 1934 and features his momentous battle with The Fly and his armies of crazed criminal killers. Their motto? Why “KILL THE SPIDER!” of course.
 
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps this is a perfect opportunity to give one of these fantastic yarns a real test run. With a full introduction to the Spider written by famed pulp historian and author Will Murray, The Spider #11 was written by one of pulp’s most respected authors, Norvell W. Page. Writing as Grant Stockbridge, Page’s stories included some of the most bizarre and fun takes on heroes and crime fighting in the history of escapist fiction.
 
Even today Page’s scenarios and his edge-of-the-seat writing style are still thrilling both new and old fans everywhere. For those who have never read one of these rollercoaster adventures, you are in for a thrill. If you already know how much fun a classic pulp is, make sure you download this bargain.
 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you purchase this eBook from RadioArchives.comyou receive all three formats in one ZIP file. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your Spider novels to your new device without the need to purchase anything new. Use the PDF version when reading on your PC or Mac computer. If you have a Kindle, the Mobi version is what you want. If you have an iPad/iPhone, Android, Sony eReader or Nook, then the ePub version is what you want.

 

 

The Knight of Darkness wages battles to the death with two of his greatest superfoes! First, The Shadow becomes “The Devil’s Paymaster” to end the sadistic reign of The Prince of Evil in the violent conclusion of Theodore Tinsley’s most acclaimed storyline. Then, Lamont Cranston must die to crush a superfiend’s evil plots when “The Wasp Returns” in an action-packed thriller by Walter B. Gibson. Foreword by Michael Uslan, executive producer of the Summer Bat-Blockbuster, “The Dark Knight Rises.” This instant collector’s item leads off with one of Graves Gladney’s greatest covers, and also showcases all the original interior illustrations by legendary illustrator Earl Mayan, with historical commentary by Will Murray and Anthony Tollin. BONUS: The Shadow tracks down “The Comic Strip Killer” in a classic adventure from the Golden Age of Radio. Buy it today for $14.95.
 

The Man of Bronze returns in two tales of super-science that inspired classic Superman stories. First, a silvery stratospheric craft showers vapors of death upon a Texas town, while Cosmic Rays alter Long Tom’s mental makeup. Doc and Patricia Savage attempt to thwart the deadly plots of a red-hooded mastermind in “He Could Stop the World,” a pulp classic by Laurence Donovan that inspired an early Superman story by Jerry Siegel. Then, “The Laugh of Death” could change the outcome of World War II, in a Lester Dent thriller that introduced Doc’s new Fortress of Solitude that inspired the Man of Steel’s glacier hideaway. This double-novel collector’s edition leads off with a knockout cover by legendary paperback artist James Bama. and also reprints both classic color pulp covers by Robert G. Harris and Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray. Priced at only $14.95.
 

The Man of Bronze returns in two tales of super-science that inspired classic Superman stories. First, a silvery stratospheric craft showers vapors of death upon a Texas town, while Cosmic Rays alter Long Tom’s mental makeup. Doc and Patricia Savage attempt to thwart the deadly plots of a red-hooded mastermind in “He Could Stop the World,” a pulp classic by Laurence Donovan that inspired an early Superman story by Jerry Siegel. Then, “The Laugh of Death” could change the outcome of World War II, in a Lester Dent thriller that introduced Doc’s new Fortress of Solitude that inspired the Man of Steel’s glacier hideaway. This double-novel collector’s edition features both classic color pulp covers by Robert G. Harris and Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of ten Doc Savage novels. Priced at only $14.95 
 

One of the top crime-fighters from the golden age of pulp fiction, The Spider returns in two thrill-packed adventures written by Norvell Page under the pseudonym of Grant Stockbridge. First, in “Laboratory Of The Damned” (1936), Poisoned! Struck down by a deadly assault from a mad murderer, the Spider finds his friend Stanley Kirkpatrick, Commissioner of Police, doomed to a stupor of living death. Nor is he the only victim… also stricken with the dread malady is Richard Wentworth’s fiancee, Nita van Sloan! The Spider battles both the Law and the Underworld to survive! Then, in “Hell’s Sales Manager” (1940), The Brand wields a weird new weapon that sucks everything in its path into a vortex of destruction! How can even the Master of Men fight an enemy that seems to simply vanish? While this reign of terror goes unchecked, the Spider finds his every effort hampered by a human bloodhound assigned to track down and eliminate him. These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. Available now for $14.95!
 

Altus Press is proud to announce the release of the third volume in its acclaimed Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series, written by Will Murray and Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson.
 
Set in the Fall of 1936, The Infernal Buddha tells the epic story of Doc Savage’s desperate quest to control the Buddha of Ice, a relic of unknown origin—and what may become the most dangerous object on Earth!
 
When a mummy arrives at Doc Savage’s New York headquarters wearing the clothes of his missing assistant, engineer Renny Renwick, Doc, Monk, and Ham rush to Singapore where they get on the trail of a swashbuckling pirate who calls himself the Scourge of the South China Sea, in whose hands a piece of the infernal Buddha has fallen. The trail leads to Pirate Island, the fate of Renny, and a mysterious box containing a terrible, unstoppable power.
 
But that is only the beginning of the quest into which the Man of Bronze plunges—one that will take him to the upper reaches of the Yellow Sea and a series a wild ocean battles against the vicious factions fighting for control on the infernal Buddha.
 
Before it is all over, every human life on Earth will tremble on the brink of eternity, and Doc Savage will face his greatest test.
 
“This may be my wildest Doc novel to date,” says author Will Murray. “The Infernal Buddha is a fantasy epic full of corsairs, criminals and other culprits. The menace is planetary. The threat, extinction. Doc Savage has a reputation for saving the world. This time he does it on the greatest scale possible. I began this book back in 1992, working from an opening situation Lester Dent started in 1935. Together, we have produced a true Doc Savage epic. And it only took about 75 years….”
 
The Infernal Buddha features a startling cover painted by Joe DeVito, depicting Doc Savage as the Buccaneer of Bronze! This cover was painted from a still taken in 1964 of legendary model Steve Holland, and is a variant pose shot for famed illustrator James Bama’s classic cover to The Man of Bronze. There has never been a Doc cover like it! Buy it today for only $24.95 from Radio Archives.
 
 

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Review of “The Red Terrors” from Doc Savage, Volume 22
By Dr. Art Sippo

 
Mysterious red monsters are boarding ships in the Atlantic Ocean and carrying passengers away with them into the sea. Once submerged, the hapless victims are never seen again. When Doctor Hugo Collendar is taken in this fashion from a ship bound to Cape town, his fate is made known to Doc Savage. The Bronze Man of Mystery along with his aides Monk, Ham and Long Tom.

 
They discover that the kidnappings all occur in the same area of the ocean. They examine the cabin from which Dr. Collander was abducted and discover 3 sets of fingerprints. One of those sets belongs to the famous deep sea diver Harry Day who disappeared at sea several months back when his ship exploded. He was presumed dead along with all of his crew. Now he appeared to be involved in the mysterious disappearances at sea. As Doc and his men dealve deeper into the mystery they are taken captive and dragged into the ocean depths by the Red Terrors.
 
What is the secret of the Red Terrors? Why are they kidnapping people? Where do they take their prisoners underneath the sea? How could Harry Day have survived underwater for all those months?
 
This is another highly imaginative story in the annals of Doc Savage and his crew of trusted companions. There is mystery, intrigue, weird menace, and a secret hidden for ages under the sea. Don’t miss this exciting adventure! Get it and another full length Doc Savage tale today in Doc Savage Volume 22 from Radio Archives for only $12.95!
 

Comments From Our Customers!
 
Richard Stone writes:

I am a lifetime Jolson fan and enthusiast and am thrilled and amazed by what you have just done. It’s not everyday that 36 Jolson shows surface in great sound!
 
Charles Power writes:
Keep at it. I’d love someday to have a complete electronic collection of the Spider.
 
Roger Lorette writes:
The quality of your product is excellent. Keep up the great work!!!
 
Steve Sher writes:
I greatly enjoyed Mutual Radio Theatre. Will there be any additional volumes in the future?

 
David Kunovic writes:
I really love the audio books. I listen more than I read now. Keep them coming. Is there any chance you can get the rights to do The Shadow in audio form ? This would be great. Love the Spider. Hope there are more to come.
 
Fr. Mike Phillips writes:
I grew up in the 40’s & loved the old radio shows. Your selections are the best I have ever seen. This is my first – but not my last – order. Many thanks.
 
Tracy Croffutt writes:
I would do away with my TVs if old radio shows came back on the radio. I’m 77 and listened every night when the programs started. I got my first radio when i was about 6. Loved every program. 
 

James Felder writes:
I’m so happy you’ve been doing the Spider ebook reprints. There were, I assume, unlicensed e-editions on Amazon in the past. I bought all of them (about 11) because I love the Spider. Yours are much better. I’m enjoying Operator #5 a lot too – surprised by the high quality of the writing in it.
 
Carolyn Andersen writes:
I thoroughly enjoy all 3 volumes of The Railroad Hour. As far as I am concerned they are magnificent! (And, goodness knows, they are ever so much better than what comes out today.)
 
William Blome writes:
Thanks. I am looking forward to adding this collection to my hundred or so Jolson 78’s, LPs, 45s, cassette tapes, and CDs. No 8-tracks. I’m not that crazy about him. Thanks for trusting me, although I suppose you know that anyone who likes Jolson is by definition an honest, superior, and all-around terrific person.

 

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 atRadioArchives.com.
 
If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter, or if this newsletter has been sent to you in error, please reply to this e-mail with the subject line UNSUBSCRIBE and your name will immediately be removed from our mailing list.
 

THE SKINVESTIGATOR INVESTIGATES ON KINDLE

For Immediate Release:

(Melbourne, Florida – August 8, 2012): Dermatologist detective series: The second Skinvestigator novel is now available on Kindle

The second novel in a new Florida noir trilogy, The Skinvestigator: Rash Guard has just become available for download on the Kindle, Amazon.com‘s handy digital reader. The novel follows the adventures of Florida dermatologist turned detective, Dr. Harry Poe, as he tries to help the Miami Police with a new murder investigation involving surfers, syphilis, and the State department.

Author Terry Cronin describes the surf noir story as both “an inside look at the exciting world of South Beach” and “a mystery novel that quickly escalates into a medical/political thriller involving tattoos, sexually-transmitted diseases, illicit cosmetic surgery, and murder”.

Ripped from today’s headlines about “scalpel tourism” where Americans travel to foreign nations to get cheaper cosmetic surgery, Cronin’s books have been described as “razor sharp”and “skincredible”. Reviewers have categorized them as “sunshine noir”, and made “for page-turner mystery fans”. The print version of the first novel is distributed by Atlas Books and is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Tower Books.

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While the Kindle version of the first novel, The Skinvestigator: Tramp Stamp, is promotionally priced at 99 cents for a limited time only!

The final book of the Sunshine State Trilogy, The Skinvestigator: Sunburn has been released as a print edition. Cronin, who is known for creating the critically-acclaimed horror-adventure comic series, Students of the Unusual and writing for Indie Comics Magazine, took advance copies of this new novel with him to the San Diego Comic-Con this year. “I’m known as a comic book writer but I found that comic readers and genre fans also enjoy reading hard-boiled detective novels and pulp fiction.” The new novel follows Doctor Poe whose been abducted by Venezuelan thugs from his past and is poorly prepared for their increasing level of violence. Sexy mysterious tattoos, illicit cosmetic surgery, and espionage round out book three of the Sunshine State Trilogy and may just mark the end of the career of the Skinvestigator.

The Kindle version of The Skinvestigator: Tramp Stamp can be downloaded here:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Skinvestigator-Sunshine-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B005OCTWVM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1344462348&sr=8-3&keywords=skinvestigator

The Kindle version of The Skinvestigator: Rash Guard can be downloaded here:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Skinvestigator-Sunshine-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B008UFHNTS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1344462348&sr=8-5&keywords=skinvestigator

The new print edition of The Skinvestigator: Sunburn is available at:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Skinvestigator-Sunburn-Terry-Cronin/dp/0983766711

Batcave Being Built In Connecticut

So, fanboy, you think you’ve got a cool mancave?

According to the Greenwich Connecticut Time, a local resident in the mega-wealthy community is spending two million dollars to build himself a home theater.

Yeah, I know. Big deal. Well… this home theater is built in the form of the Batcave. Or, given the multitude of visions over the years, a Batcave. The 12,000-square-foot private home will include a Batcomputer, Batmobile, Batsuits, a 180° screen, a deafening sound system, gargoyles and an Bat-elevator, eliminating the need to hit the switch mid-way down the Batpoles. With luck, the whole thing should be done by Thanksgiving.

The company that’s doing the build-out, Canada’s Elite Home Theater Seating, says they’ve done this once before, so the Connecticut Batcave isn’t exactly original. Hey, what do you expect for two million bucks? There’s no word if there will be a dinosaur and an even bigger giant penny in the “cave.”

The property owner is maintaining his anonymity. I wonder why.

 

SENTINELS: THE GRAND DESIGN– OMNIBUS PAPERBACK!

The First Trilogy of Van Allen Plexico’s Superhero Novel Series—At Last in a One-Volume Edition!

 (August 8, 2012)  White Rocket Books proudly announces the release in trade paperback format of Van Allen Plexico’s SENTINELS: THE GRAND DESIGN, a one-volume collection of the first three novels in the famed cosmic superhero saga!
Weighing in at a whopping 624 pages and with a stunning painted cover by celebrated artist Mitch Foust, the “Grand Design” Omnibus also features no fewer than fifteen full-page interior illustrations by series artist Chris Kohler.
The book contains all three volumes of the first Sentinels trilogy (When Strikes the Warlord, A Distant Star, and Apocalypse Rising) in their entirety, introducing the heroes and villains (and those in between) that make up this fascinating and compelling superhero universe. 
What begins as an attempted abduction of a young student from her college campus quickly spirals out to engulf a diverse collection of individuals, including billionaire inventor and hero-wannabe Esro Brachis, beloved national savior (and amnesiac) Ultraa, wisecracking daredevil Damon “Cavalier” Sinclair, and mysterious alien powerhouse Vanadium.  Can this motley crew come together as a team in time to save the Earth from conquest or destruction?
Through the eyes of central character Lyn Li, a Chinese-American teen that possesses amazing electromagnetic powers, we encounter aliens and androids, geniuses and demigods, megalomaniacal arch-villains, space-borne monsters, and everything else one would expect from a classic Bronze-Age comic series—in New Pulp novel form!
“For most of my life I’ve loved the concept of a superhero team made up of very distinct individuals who barely get along with one another,” says author Van Allen Plexico.  “The fun comes in watching them encounter mind-blowing menaces and have to find a way—some way!—to work together long enough to miraculously save the day.  Throw in the ability that a novel series provides, to allow characters to really change and grow (and even die!) along the way, and you get what I strongly believe is a saga every superhero comics fan will love.  And with Chris Kohler illustrating the whole thing, you can’t go wrong!”
Plexico’s Sentinelsseries has been praised by Kirkus Reviews for offering “a fresh take on the superhero theme,” and by Pulp Fiction Reviews as “spectacular, action-packed, imaginative and wonderful.”  Noted superhero novelist Ian Thomas Healy called them “Kirbyesque,” describing Volume One as “the first book that successfully translates the feel of a comic book into prose.”
White Rocket Booksis a leader in the New Pulp movement, publishing exciting action and adventure novels and anthologies since 2005, in both traditional and electronic formats.   White Rocket books have hit the Amazon.com Top 15-by-Genre and have garnered praise from everyone from Marvel Comics Vice-President Tom Brevoort to Kirkus Reviews.
On sale as of August 8, 2012, SENTINELS: THE GRAND DESIGN (Omnibus) is a $21.95, 6×9 format trade paperback from White Rocket Books.  (The individual novels are already available as $2.99 e-books for Kindle and other e-readers.)
624 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-98413-925-5 (6×9” Trade Paperback; 15 full-page illustrations)

Harvey Awards website updates, now with online voting!

new-harvey-logo-web-2012-2-6860226We’re very happy to announce that the Harvey Awards have upgraded their web site (with a little help from us) and is now able to take votes directly online instead of downloading a ballot and emailing (or even just mailing, shudder) it back. It is hoped that this will increase the voting turnout tremendously.

The final ballot for 2012 closes next Friday, August 17th, so get your votes in now if you haven’t already. Please remember that only comic book professionals – those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, and edit comic books and graphic novels - are eligible to vote.

The 2012 awards will be handed out at the Baltimore Comic-Con on September 8th. We hope to see you there!

Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry’s most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators – those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit, or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field.  They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. The awards have been presented annually since 1988.

GREEN HORNET: STILL AT LARGE NOW AVAILABLE!

Cover: Douglas Klauba

New Pulp writer/editor Win Scott Eckert has announced that Moonstone Books release of Green Hornet: Still At Large is now available.

Green Hornet: Still at Large is back from the printer and is now shipping direct from Moonstone Books! (I’m sure it will show up as “available” on Amazon soon.)

NOTE: Green Hornet editor, Win Scott Eckert should have copies available at PulpFest later this week. You can find Win at the Meteor House table. Win will also be doing a “New Fictioneers” session where he will read from his Green Hornet tale, “Progress.”

Edited by Joe Gentile, Win Scott Eckert, and Matthew Baugh, this third anthology featuring the 1960s Green Hornet, based on the television program starring Van Williams and Bruce Lee, follows The Green Hornet Chronicles and The Green Hornet Casefiles, and ships in two editions.

The softcover trade paperback features a cover by Douglas Klauba, while the limited edition hardcover boasts a cover by Ruben Procopio. It is anticipated that as with the prior books, the third volume will also see an eBook edition, although the specific date has not been announced.

Cover: Ruben Procopio

Contents:
“Hero” by S.J. Rozan
“The Black Torpedo” by Will Murray
“The World Will End in Fire” by Richard Dean Starr
“The Man Inside” by Matthew Baugh
“Death from Beyond” by Ron Fortier
“Play the Game” by Thom Brannan
“The Gauntlet” by Bobby Nash
“Chaos and the Year of the Dog” by Bobbie Metevier
“Axford’s Sting” by Dan Wickline
“Revenge of the Yellowjacket” by Howard Hopkins
“The Man in the Picture” by Patricia Weakley
“Masks” by C.J. Henderson
“Bad Man’s Blunder” by John Allen Small
“Losers, Weepers” by Rich Harvey
“Stormfront” by Greg Gick
“The Night I Met The Hornet” by Mel Odom
“Progress” by Win Scott Eckert

The limited edition hardcover also features:

“The Green Hornet Timeline,” a chronology of the Moonstone stories from the three anthologies, fit into the timeline of the original television episodes, by Win Scott Eckert

A bonus story featuring the 1930s-40s Green Hornet from the radio show and serials, “The Green Hornet Meets The Avenger” by Michael Uslan

Ordering information:
Moonstone direct (trade paperback)
Moonstone direct (limited hardcover)
Amazon.com (trade paperback)
Amazon.com (limited hardcover)
B&N.com (trade paperback)
B&N.com (limited hardcover)

Joss Whedon is in for “Avengers 2” and Marvel live-action TV series

It’s official: the man who wrote and directed “Marvel’s The Avengers” and grossed $1.5 billion and counting at the box office is coming back to do it all over again. Slashfilm seems to have caught it first:

It was just announced on the Walt Disney Investors Conference Call that Joss Whedon will return for The Avengers sequel. Whedon is signed to both write and direct the upcoming sequel. Disney confirmed that Whedon is also involved in the development of the previously-rumored long-lead ABC live-action television series which will be set inside the Marvel cinematic universe.

Whedon had previously said that he was “very torn” about coming back: “It’s an enormous amount of work telling what is ultimately somebody else’s story, even though I feel like I did get to put myself into it. But at the same time, I have a bunch of ideas, and they all seem really cool.”

Marvel is notoriously cheap when it comes to contracts, so some fans were worried that a deal wouldn’t be made. I think everyone will be excited that Whedon is back for the next one. If I were Kevin Feige I would secure Whedon to a long term contract as an executive producer, overseeing the marvel universe on a Pixar braintrust-level. The Avengers is being tentatively planned for a Summer 2015 release, although Disney and Marvel have not formally announced a date.

via Joss Whedon Signed for ‘The Avengers 2′ and Marvel Live-Action TV Series.

Let’s see how he pulls all of it together… again.

Indiana Jones The Complete Adventures Blu-ray Bonus Features Announced

It was 30 years ago, that magical summer when we had our minds blown with amazing regularity. Among the highlights, of course, was this collaboration between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. as they channeled their childhoods into something new and delightful for the present generation. We’ve been awaiting this collection and share with you the press details about what you will find in addition to the four films.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (August 7, 2012) – Every unforgettable exploit of world-renowned, globetrotting hero Indiana Jones finally comes home with pristine picture and sound when INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures debuts on Blu-ray September 18, 2012 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution. The cinematic classic that started it all—Raiders of the Lost Ark—has been meticulously restored under the supervision of director Steven Spielberg and sound designer Ben Burtt.  Additionally, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade have both been remastered alongside 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull making this landmark release the first time all four films in the epic and award-winning franchise have been available together in sparkling high definition. INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures will also be available on iTunes, so the adventure is just a click away!

In addition to all of Indy’s thrilling adventures, the set includes seven hours of fascinating documentaries, featurettes and interviews with cast members and filmmakers.  This comprehensive collection of behind-the-scenes bonus features is augmented by a brand new two-part documentary entitled “On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark – From Jungle to Desert and From Adventure to Legend.”  Featuring nearly an hour of rarely seen footage from the set of the film and archival interviews with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford, these captivating pieces transports fans back to where the legend began.

Raiders of the Lost Ark has been painstakingly restored with careful attention to preserving the original look, sound and feel of the iconic film.  The original negative was scanned at 4K and then examined frame-by-frame so that any damage could be repaired.  The sound design was similarly preserved using Burtt’s original master mix, which had been archived and unused since 1981.  New stereo surrounds were created using the original music tracks and original effects recorded in stereo but used previously only in mono.  In addition, the sub bass was redone entirely up to modern specifications and care was taken to improve dialogue and correct small technical flaws to create the most complete and highest quality version of the sound possible while retaining the director’s vision.

Disc Specifications:

Disc 1—Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the following:

  • Teaser Trailer (HD)
  • Theatrical Trailer (HD)
  • Re-Issue Trailer (HD)

Disc 2—Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the following:

  • Teaser Trailer (HD)
  • Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Disc 3—Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the following:

  • Teaser Trailer (HD)
  • Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Disc 4—Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the following:

  • Theatrical Trailer #2 (HD)
  • Theatrical Trailer #3 (HD)
  • Theatrical Trailer #4 (HD)

Disc 5—Bonus Features

Bonus features are presented in standard and high definition (as indicated below) in English with English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

  • NEW – On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark
    • From Jungle to Desert
    • From Adventure to Legend
  • Making the Films
    • The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981 documentary previously unavailable on DVD)
    • The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark
    • The Making of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
    • The Making of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
    • The Making of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (HD)
  • Behind the Scenes
    • The Stunts of Indiana Jones
    • The Sound of Indiana Jones
    • The Music of Indiana Jones
    • The Light and Magic of Indiana Jones
    • Raiders: The Melting Face!
    • Indiana Jones and the Creepy Crawlies (with optional pop-ups)
    • Travel with Indiana Jones: Locations (with optional pop-ups)
    • Indy’s Women: The American Film Institute Tribute
    • Indy’s Friends and Enemies
    • Iconic Props (Crystal Skull) (HD)
    • The Effects of Indy (Crystal Skull) (HD)
    • Adventures in Post Production (Crystal Skull) (HD)

FORTIER TAKES ON ‘DRAGON KINGS OF THE ORIENT’!

ALL PULP REVIEWS by Ron Fortier
DRAGON KINGS OF THE ORIENT
By Percival Constantine
Pulpwork Press
177 pages
This terrific, fast paced fantasy action thriller is the second in the Elisa Hill, Myth Hunter series and even better than the first; no small feat.  Elisa Hill is a hunter of lost artifacts made famous in ancient lore.  Along with her mentor, Max Finch, and the Japanese kitsune, a type of were-fox changeling, Asami, she finds herself caught in a titanic contest between ancient oriental deities and a roguish creature of legend known as the Monkey King.
It is through this fabled half-human, half-simian being that they discover the four Dragon Kings are about to unleash their centuries old plot to dominate the world and make all mankind their slaves.  This they will accomplish by their powers to control the oceans of the world and wreaking havoc wherever necessary to force the various countries of the world to bow to their commands.
Now only Elisa, her two companions and an agent from the super secret Freemasons society are all that stand between total disaster and salvation. But can even these unique characters prove strong enough to win the day?
In this age of the popular urban fantasy genre, we seem to be inundated with more and more series featuring sparkly vampires, sexy witches and zombie private eyes.  Enough for this reader to yell, “Uncle!”  Constantine’s “Dragon Kings of the Orient,” packs more wall-to-wall action than any of ten of those other wimpy titles combined.  Being an American teacher in Japan, he has a unique, personal perspective on the Far East and its culture and uses it to great advantage in this rousing adventure tale. 
In the past, he has offered us other series but none of them can hold a candle to this one. Elisa Hill is a truly original, fun character and I hope we get to read many more of he exploits along with those of her truly remarkable supporting cast.  People, this book is a solid must read!