THE SHADOWS FAN INVESTIGATES THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE

News
December 27, 2012

Art: Chris Samnee

The Shadow Fan podcast returns for its twelfth episode! This time around, Barry Reese and Co. talk about the Belmont Shadows, the third novel in the Prince of Evil series, the classic “Crime, Insured” and Dynamite’s solicitations for March 2013!

If you love the greatest pulp hero of all time, then download The Shadow Fan today!

You can listen to the latest episode of The Shadow Fan podcast here.

RANKING THE JAMES BOND FILMS, PART 3: THE TOP 3!

News
December 22, 2012

So today we finish up my rankings of all 23 of the Eon Productions JAMES BOND films, with the TOP THREE overall.

We looked at numbers 23-14 here and at numbers 13-4 here.
Remember, folks–stuff like this is entirely subjective. We’re (mostly) talking my favorites, not the “greatest” or “highest grossing” or whatever. This represents my views.

Without further ado, then, here are my three favorite Bond films, in order:

3. Goldfinger

Hard to argue against this one, which really does have almost everything. I had it ranked second until yesterday when I re-watched it, and found it oddly disappointing in places. My main complaint is that, given the larger scope of this one than its predecessors, Goldfinger’s scheme is not quite up to the world-ending level of many of the others—but that’s probably just me. The middle is sort of dull, too, while Bond plays golf and then is held prisoner in Kentucky. But the Aston Martin goes a long way–even if he never quite gets to use it as creatively as we might have liked. And so does Honor Blackman (and “Jill Masterson” at the start ain’t bad, either). Odd Job is iconic. And it has probably the second or third best theme song, too–and the most iconic. It’s a great Bond movie.

2. From Russia with Love

A simple, straight-ahead spy movie with vivid characters and great action. Bond’s Turkish ally, Kerim Bey, remains a favorite, and Robert Shaw as the SMERSH assassin is very cool–is he the only actor to have fought both James Bond and (the shark) Jaws?! The visuals of Istanbul and along the European rail line are gorgeous—as was the leading lady, Daniela Bianchi. The theme song is great–and, interestingly, doesn’t appear (with lyrics) in the opening credit sequence; it’s only at the end. The story sticks just close enough to the novel to make it a tight, taut thriller rather than an over-the-top spectacle. And you can’t beat a catfight in a Gypsy camp.

1. You Only Live Twice

The prototype for seemingly half the rest of the franchise, with the original “supervillain base in a volcano.” Japan in the 1960s provides a great backdrop and Tiger Tanaka is rivaled only by Kerim Bey of “From Russia with Love” as Bond’s greatest “regional ally.” Is it over-the-top, much of the way? Sure. Does the plot make sense? Not a lot of it, no. Will many criticize me for this choice? Probably. But it’s my list, and this one has always been my favorite. And it has my favorite theme song of all, to boot. This one is my favorite.

So there you have my entire list–all 23 Bond films from Eon, in the order I like them (or don’t like them).

Be sure to visit www.whiterocketbooks.com to listen to our James Bond podcast episode (or find it on iTunes) and also to check out the many great books we have available. Thanks for reading!

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR PULP ARK 2013 AWARDS!

News
December 16, 2012

Nominations for the PULP ARK 2013 Awards are now open and will close at 5 PM CST on January 15^th, 2013. The awards are given in conjunction with Pulp Ark, the convention/creators’ conference and the official New Pulp Convention to be held in Springdale, AR, April 26-28, 2013! The Awards are given for excellence in the field of Pulp, including books, stories, comic books, magazines, and characters as well as creators.

To determine if a work or creator qualifies for these awards the definition for works that qualify is as follows-New Pulp is fast-paced, plot-oriented storytelling of a linear nature with clearly defined, larger than life protagonists and antagonists, creative descriptions, clever use of turns of phrase and other aspects of writing that add to the intensity and pacing of the story.

Tommy Hancock, Coordinator of Pulp Ark explains something that has become a tradition of the Pulp Ark Awards-adding categories for which awards are given. “There will be one additional award this year added to the Pulp Ark Awards roster. A point that is often debated within fiction circles is just what qualifies as a short story, a novella, and a novel. Usually this argument centers around word length. It has become increasingly apparent that stories that are longer than short, but not quite novel length are a primary part of New Pulp. To that end, Pulp Ark will be adding an award for Best Novella of the Year as of the 2013 awards.”

“For the purposes of the Pulp Ark Awards,” Hancock continued, “A Short Story is any tale consisting of 17,500 words or less. A Novella is any tale consisting of 17,500 words to 40,000 words. A Novel is any work of 40,000 + words. As with all Pulp Ark award categories, these works can be print or in ebook form or both.”

Hancock also states, “We will also give a Lifetime Achievement Award again this year as well. A Ten Person committee selected from well-known Creators in New Pulp currently will decide the recipient of this award. This award is given to someone who has contributed to Pulp, not necessarily just New Pulp, but to the continuation of the interest and promotion of Pulp in all its forms.” Last year’s winner of the Pulp Ark Lifetime Achievement Award was Howard Hopkins.

The only works eligible for the Pulp Ark 2013 Awards are those produced between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. Anyone can make a nomination and anyone that makes a nomination will receive a ballot on January 15^th, 2013 and voting will be open until 5 PM CST on February 15, 2013. The only people voting in these eleven awards will be those who made a minimum of one nomination. Also, each individual is allowed only ONE NOMINATION PER CATEGORY. A person may nominate someone in all nine categories, but may only nominate once in each category. All nominations are confidential and sources of nominations will not be revealed. All nominations should be mailed to Tommy Hancock at proseproductions@earthlink.net.The categories open for nomination are (in no particular order and this can be cut and pasted for your nominations ballot):

1. Best Novel (This includes E-books as well as print books and length must be 40,000 + words)

2. Best Collection/Anthology (This includes single author story collections and multi author anthologies. This includes E-publications as well as print books)

3. Best short story (this includes stories that appear in short story collections, anthologies, magazines, and e magazines. If from an e-mag, the story must appear on a site identified as an e-magazine, not simply be posted on a site or blog. It includes e-publications as well as traditionally printed works. Length must be 17,500 words or less.)

4. Best Novella (this includes stories that appear in short story collections, anthologies, magazines, and e magazines. If from an e-mag, the story must appear on a site identified as an e-magazine, not simply be posted on a site or blog. It includes e-publications as well as traditionally printed works. Length must be 17,500- 40,000 words)

5. Best Cover Art (This is restricted to prose book publications, including e-books)

6. Best Interior Art (This is restricted to prose book publications, including e-books)

7. Best Pulp Related Comic (This refers to a series, complete run, one shot, etc. This award is for art, writing, and all other work associated with the nominated comics and the winner. This includes e-publications as well. )

8. Best Pulp Magazine (This award is for art, writing, and all other work associated with the nominated comics and the winner. This includes e-publications as well, but the e-publication must be identified as an e-magazine on the site supporting it. )

9. Best Pulp Revival (The Revival nominated must be published within the calendar year of 2012 and relates specifically to characters featured in Pulps when they were originally created. This includes epublications as well.)

10. Best New Character (This must be a character that debuts in a New Pulp work published in 2012. This included e-publications as well)

11. Best Author (This reward refers to the author and any author with work published in 2012 is eligible, including novels, short stories, etc. This includes e-publications as well).

12. Best New Writer (To be nominated, a writer must have been published for the first time in the pulp field in the calendar year of 2012. This includes e-publications as well).

Send all nominations to Hancock via email at proseproductions@earthlink.net

For More information on how to attend Pulp Ark 2013 as Guest, Vendor, or fan, go to www.pulpark.blogspot.com for regular updates!

WEIRD WESTERN COMIC IN THE WORKS-WELCOME TO PARIAH, MISSOURI

News
December 13, 2012

Pariah, Missouri: The Graphic Novel Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Local Man Uses Kickstarter to Realize His Hollywood Dreams

Ventura, California – December 7, 2012 – Doing something creative that you love is a challenge. Finding an audience for your work and getting paid for it is even harder. Andres Salazar understands those struggles. Andres is a stand-up comedian, has directed and produced short films, written screenplays even sells his paintings at craft fairs. Most recently Andres has turned to the crowdfunding website, Kickstarter.com to find an audience and realize his dream of being a creator.

His latest project is a graphic novel titled Pariah, Missouri–a supernatural story set in pre-civil war. He wrote it originally as a television pilot script in hopes to get attention from the cable networks. “I pitched it as Deadwood meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but nowadays you gotta have the script, a cast and director attached and half of it shot before they will look at you, and that’s only if you have an agent, manager and have previously worked on three shows,” says Andres.

So instead of beating his head against Hollywood’s doors, he turned to other mediums to tell the tale. “When I conceived Pariah, I wanted something that I could tell graphically since comics have been my love as a kid. It’s much cheaper of course to generate a comic and this is a good way to build a fan-base and that is always something that Hollywood wants to see,” says Andres. Turning an hour drama script into a comic book is not without it’s challenges. An artist needed to be found so Andres turned to sites such as Deviantart.com to find affordable and dependable artists.

“That was a challenge. I mean, I could have drawn it myself, but comic book art takes an incredible amount of time, plus there is value in adding others creative juices to the mix. I was lucky to find a great artist like Jose,” says Andres. Jose Luis Pescador is no stranger to the comic book world. He studied at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and has worked on a number of independent graphic novels and has shown fine art in galleries across the country.

His super-team was assembled, but Andres still needed funding. Enter Kickstarter.com Kickstarter is a new phenomenon in what is dubbed crowdfunding which gives creators a chance realize their ambitions by asking others to “back” their project. From films, music albums to food, Kickstarter generates hundreds of projects daily in the hopes that they meet their funding goal. If the goal is achieved, backers then receive rewards according to their pledge amount.

Having worked for Howard Chaykin as an assistant, Andres learned much of the business from his mentor. Andres also wrote and directed SAG short film After Cheri and stated , “We are very excited about our Kickstarter for Pariah, Missouri! It will be an exciting story for the next 30 days to see how we progress through the campaign. I will be posting videos and updates often so backers really get a sense of the “behind the scenes” of what it takes to make a comic book. Please check us out.”

For a 23 page preview of Pariah, Missouri- go HERE.

To see the Pariah, Missouri Kickstarter campaign to go: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andresjsalazar/pariah-missouri-the-graphic-novel

###

If you’d like more information about the Pariah, MO graphic novel or to schedule interviews with Andres

Salazar please email andresjsalazar@gmail.com or call 805-746-6884

News
December 13, 2012

Pariah, Missouri: The Graphic Novel Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Local Man Uses Kickstarter to Realize His Hollywood Dreams

Ventura, California – December 7, 2012 – Doing something creative that you love is a challenge. Finding an audience for your work and getting paid for it is even harder. Andres Salazar understands those struggles. Andres is a stand-up comedian, has directed and produced short films, written screenplays even sells his paintings at craft fairs. Most recently Andres has turned to the crowdfunding website, Kickstarter.com to find an audience and realize his dream of being a creator.

His latest project is a graphic novel titled Pariah, Missouri–a supernatural story set in pre-civil war. He wrote it originally as a television pilot script in hopes to get attention from the cable networks. “I pitched it as Deadwood meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but nowadays you gotta have the script, a cast and director attached and half of it shot before they will look at you, and that’s only if you have an agent, manager and have previously worked on three shows,” says Andres.

So instead of beating his head against Hollywood’s doors, he turned to other mediums to tell the tale. “When I conceived Pariah, I wanted something that I could tell graphically since comics have been my love as a kid. It’s much cheaper of course to generate a comic and this is a good way to build a fan-base and that is always something that Hollywood wants to see,” says Andres. Turning an hour drama script into a comic book is not without it’s challenges. An artist needed to be found so Andres turned to sites such as Deviantart.com to find affordable and dependable artists.

“That was a challenge. I mean, I could have drawn it myself, but comic book art takes an incredible amount of time, plus there is value in adding others creative juices to the mix. I was lucky to find a great artist like Jose,” says Andres. Jose Luis Pescador is no stranger to the comic book world. He studied at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and has worked on a number of independent graphic novels and has shown fine art in galleries across the country.

His super-team was assembled, but Andres still needed funding. Enter Kickstarter.com Kickstarter is a new phenomenon in what is dubbed crowdfunding which gives creators a chance realize their ambitions by asking others to “back” their project. From films, music albums to food, Kickstarter generates hundreds of projects daily in the hopes that they meet their funding goal. If the goal is achieved, backers then receive rewards according to their pledge amount.

Having worked for Howard Chaykin as an assistant, Andres learned much of the business from his mentor. Andres also wrote and directed SAG short film After Cheri and stated , “We are very excited about our Kickstarter for Pariah, Missouri! It will be an exciting story for the next 30 days to see how we progress through the campaign. I will be posting videos and updates often so backers really get a sense of the “behind the scenes” of what it takes to make a comic book. Please check us out.”

To see the Pariah, Missouri Kickstarter campaign to go: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andresjsalazar/pariah-missouri-the-graphic-novel

###

If you’d like more information about the Pariah, MO graphic novel or to schedule interviews with Andres

Salazar please email andresjsalazar@gmail.com or call 805-746-6884

HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO TV TIE-IN CLASSIC!

News
December 12, 2012

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

MANNIX

By Michael Avallone

Published by Popular Books, First Edition, 1968

It’s not every day you walk into your local pharmacy and someone hands you three books that you’d only heard about, but never actually expected to have. Now, these particular books wouldn’t be a big deal if you weren’t a detective fan, a follower of mystery/detective TV, and a big TV tie-in novel type person. In other words…me.

One of those treasured jewels was the first novel based on the 1960s-70s detective show, MANNIX. No, I don’t mean the numbered series that came out seven years or so after this one but the very first novel commissioned based on the television show. Written by Michael Avallone, this is Joe Mannix while he was still with Intertect, battling it out with Lew Wickersham and flirting his way through all the technology and the ladies in the office as he delivered a bit more of an old fashioned two fisted approach to the job of modern private investigation.

This novel, on that level, definitely doesn’t disappoint. It delivers as if it were a 124 page episode of the show. It opens with Mannix playing tough guy to a damsel who isn’t all she appears to be at first as he wraps one case while the next is being set up. A young, petulant heiress with kaboodles of bucks and a whole ton of boredom with life is approached by a man lowered from a helicopter about doing espionage work for her country. As she jumps at the chance, she later discovers that her new friend only has one interest in her country- harming it – and in her -using her to disgrace an American official. Blackmailed into it, the heiress stumbles along, desperate for a way out.

In the meantime, Intertect is put on the job and Wickersham puts his best agent as well as the one who frustrates him the most on the playgirl’s trail. Mannix must determine who she’s spying for and deal with her and the situation in a way where everyone wins and Intertect comes out smelling like a rose. Mannix’s first plan of action is to get into a costume party and get his tail end kicked by a number of costumed millionaires. And it gets fun from there.

This is, as I’ve already stated, definitely a first season Mannix book. It fits the tone of the series extremely well and Mannix has all the charm, irascibility, and toughness that fans loved about how Mike Connors played the character and that basically became his stock and trade after Mannix leaves Intertect to go on his own in the second season. Wherever Mannix is in this book shines and made me smile, ready to add a few seasons of DVDs to my collection.

Now…when Mannix isn’t in the action, then the book loses a bit of its sparkle. The other characters do not get the attention to character that the author gives to the lead. Even the heiress, who gets quite a bit of page time, is way too two dimensional by the end of the book to be believed. The bad guys don’t seem particularly bad and the threat level throughout the book isn’t one that makes you worried for anyone- except for Mannix, but most of the threats to him are caused by something he says or does.

This is a great book for fans of tv detectives and tie-ins. As a book all on its own, though, I’ve read better.

THREE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-Enjoyable read, love the way Joe Mannix comes off the page. I just wish that there were real people populating the book around him, not cardboard cutouts.

FORTIER TAKES ON SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT-COLLINS STYLE!

News
December 9, 2012

ALL PULP REVIEWS-by Ron Fortier

SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT

By Max Allan Collins

Illustrations by Terry Beatty

Available 19 Feb. 2013

Hard Case Crime

260 pages

What better book to review following our look at a Modesty Blaise strip collection then one that uses the 1950s anti-comic book witch hunt as its thinly disguised narrative skeleton. “Seduction of the Innocent,” is the third in a series starring former stripper and newspaper syndicate owner, Maggie Starr and her World War II veteran stepson, Jack Starr. Both appeared in two earlier comics themed mysteries, “A Killing in Comics,” 2007 and “Strip for Murder,” 2008. Now Collins wraps up the trilogy with a look at the events that nearly destroyed the American comics industry via the publication of the original, “Seduction of the Innocent,” by Dr. Fredric Wertham.

For the uninitiated, Wertham (March 20,1895 – November 18, 1981) was a German born American psychiatrist who made a name for himself by denouncing comics books as a corrupting influence on the children of that era. Targeting such publishers as E.C. Comics, he posited the theory that the crime, sex and violence depicted in those comics were the principle cause of delinquency among juvenile boys. Of course he failed to point out that the titles he singled out were clearly intended for an adult audience though no such labeling existed at the time. His best known book was “Seduction of the Innocent,” and his criticisms of comic books launched a U.S. Congressional inquiry into the industry and the creation of the Comics Code.

Of course the book is a sham using only the most gruesome examples of graphic art to prove a theory that was never corroborated with traditional scientific sampling. But the public, already molded by McCarthyism was only too eager to start comic book burning events in their noble defense of America’s naïve youth.

Author Collins has no difficult task in imagining a scenario in which the hated fictional doctor is murdered and then he lines up a half dozen very plausible suspects, each based loosely on past comic industry personalities from publishers to writers and artists. And therein lies the fun of this tale for any diehard comic book fan; guessing who it is Collins is rifting off of as Jack Starr investigates. As ever, Collins plays fair and the clues are laid out within the context of the story for all to see and interpret, mystery fans; the challenge being can we solve it before Jack and Maggie do?

This new “Seduction of the Innocent,” is by far a whole lot more entertaining than its predecessors and has the distinction of being Hard Case Crime’s first ever illustrated novel. Through out the book there are wonderful spot illustrations provided by the super talented Terry Beatty; all done in the marvelous retro golden age style of art. They add a really nice visual element to what is already a fun read. It is hoped that Collins’ legion of fans will demand yet more of these delicious murder mysteries starring Maggie & Jack Starr. In a literary environment overly saturated with dark, somber and depressing cautionary tales these are truly a breath of fresh air.

HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO ‘HUNT AT WORLD’S END’!

News
December 5, 2012

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

HUNT AT WORLD’S END

By Nicholas Kaufmann (writing as Gabriel Hunt)

Gabriel Hunt created by Charles Ardai

Published by Leisure Books, 2009

There’s something to be said for archetypes. We enjoy them, we return to them, many sociologists and psychologists say that they are essential to our survival as individuals and a race. And being a fan of Heroic Fiction and particularly of Pulp, I am darn glad that writers today believe in archetypes as well and don’t shy away from writing a story around a character who is like some previous creation or reminds readers of that guy in that movie. Many good tales are written because writers, too, enjoy playing with archetypes.

Enter Gabriel Hunt.

Created by Charles Ardai, the genius behind the Hard Case Crime books, Gabriel Hunt is one of two brothers whose parents mysteriously disappeared and are believed dead. The brothers are now entrusted with the operation of the Hunt Foundation, which Gabriel leaves largely to his brother Michael while he travels the globe rescuing lost artifacts from the wrong hands in efforts to give them to museums and, if necessary, saving the world in the process.

Sound a tad familiar? Yes, there are definite shades of Indiana Jones and other such fortune and glory for museums types in Hunt. But in this tale that opens with a bar fight in an Explorer’s type club and involves chasing down three jewels and an ancient Hittite device, Hunt definitely steps out as his own character. This is both a blessing and a curse for the story.

The action is well paced throughout HUNT AT THE WORLD’S END, the third novel in the series, and leaps off the page at the reader. The characters are engaging, colorful, and run the gamut of beautiful I-Can-Take-Care-of-Myself damsel, over the top villain, and even an ancient cult of scaries with worldwide membership thrown in for good measure. The build up of and resolution of the adventure is nearly flawless. And Hunt himself provides a heroic figure that the book revolves around easily.

Mostly.

It seems that many writers feel the need to write characters in Heroic Fiction today that will hopefully have a broader market appeal than typical concepts of Heroes as we see them. There have to be flaws, there must be angst, there have to be internal complications that give breadth, depth and color to the hero, even in some cases making him seem less than heroic. This is supposed to, I think, make him appear more heroic when he works his hero mojo.

In HUNT AT THE WORLD’S END, all this sort of characterization, most of it done as internal narration, accomplished was to make Hunt seem insecure, arrogant, and whiny. The middle of the novel is bogged down with Hunt’s concern over a particular cast member being involved in their hunt, his love or interest or whatever he has in the aforementioned damsel, and there’s even a hint of regret for his chosen life thrown in. All of this is fine if it’s handled correctly, but the way it’s presented in this book makes Hunt’s subsequent heroic actions seem hollow, false.

Another point about this book- and this is more the writer in me, not the reviewer, complaining- is the fact that it is written under a house name of the lead character. Gabriel Hunt wrote the book and yet it’s in third person. It would have been much more affective to have this tale told in first person and would have made some of the above mentioned issues with whininess a little easier for the writer- and the reader- to deal with.

THREE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT- HUNT AT WORLD’S END is a great actioner, wonderfully paced with plenty of derring do and baddies for the good guys to contend with. I just wish I liked the hero more than I did and that maybe in this instance, the author would have stuck a tad more to the archetype than trying to broaden his reader base (that he was doing that is only my assumption, but still…this is my review).

NEW BOOK! NEW STORIES! AND A CHANCE TO DIE IN PRINT!

News
November 29, 2012

Meteor House Press announces a wonderfully strange, wild new novel and and a contest! And even offers a free excerpt below!

The Abnormalities of Stringent Strange

The exploits of an apeman test pilot

By Rhys Hughes

The world has never seen an aviator quite like Stringent Strange. Half man, half ape, half badly added fraction, he can fly anything with wings and many things without. Under the mentorship of the unorthodox genius Professor Tobias Crinkle, our hairy hero soon gets much more than he bargains for when he finds himself up against a fiendish Nazi plot to invade and conquer America before the war has even begun!

Fortunately there exists an invention that can help him fight back against the warlike scoundrels, but the consequences of using it will propel him into even greater peril, into an alternative future where the themes and tropes of early magazine science fiction are menacingly real and coexist in perfect disharmony! Into a bracing reality where the only weapons he can rely on are the three special abnormalities he was born with…

Come and join Stringent Strange in a stupendous, mysterious, inventive adventure set in a far-flung time When Pulps Collide!

Get this at http://meteorhousepress.com/stringent/

In addition to buying the book, which will be a signed limited edition, customers can order a “deleted scene” which Rhys will write specifically for them. It will not appear in the book but will printed out from the “manuscript” and mailed with the book. In this (short) scene the reader will be killed by the author of their choice in the arena as they battle as gladiators. Here is an example: http://meteorhousepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/deleted1.pdf

Also, Rhys is currently writing a new novelette featuring Stringent Strange, “The Further Fangs of Suet Pudding,” http://rhysaurus.blogspot.com/2012/11/suet-pudding-returns.html. Everyone who preorders The Abnormalities of Stringent Strange, will get the ebook of “The Further Fangs of Suet Pudding” for free.

Anyone who orders a deleted scene before the end of November (Two days left!), will be Tuckerized as a character in “The Further Fangs of Suet Pudding.”

Go on a wild ride and learn all about THE ABNORMALITIES OF STRINGENT STRANGE! Start with the excerpt below!

Excerpt from

The Abnormalities of Stringent Strange

THE PLANE TRUTH

Sunlight flashed on the wings of the single-engine Northrop Gamma as it banked around the small cumulus that was the only cloud in the sky. The monoplane performed a final barrel roll before coming in to land and the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 14-cylinder radial engine droned comfortably as the pilot adjusted the fuel/air mix. The overinflated wheels bounced once on the hot tarmac and the propeller clattered to a standstill. Then the pilot emerged and rubbed his gloved hands.

“She’s a beauty, no doubt about it, doc. Handles like a French whore. I mean that the frills serve a purpose…”

“I comprehend the allusion,” sighed Crinkle.

“Another winner, in my opinion.”

The pilot removed his goggles and grinned. Stringent Strange was tall and muscular with a manly chin and the clear blue eyes of a hero. He was exactly the sort of fellow that girls should go wild over, but in fact he had to spend an unhealthy percentage of his test pilot’s salary on prostitutes. It was his body that was the cause of this discrepancy. It was hirsute beyond belief, the torso of a gorilla balanced on the legs of a giant lemur; and the hairs were malodorous in the extreme.

“My worst fear has been confirmed,” continued Professor Crinkle, as he rubbed his bleary eyes, “but there’s nothing we can do about it. Jack is the winner and that’s a plain fact.”

“Knowing when to quit is a useful talent, doc!”

“Yes, I suppose so, dear boy.”

Stringent began walking back to the control tower. He was in a good mood but he tried to hide his exuberance for the sake of his mentor, who trailed behind him with pouting lips. When a man’s dreams are shattered in front of him, it’s poor taste to whistle and skip. Tobias Crinkle, Ph.D., had devoted almost twenty-five years to the cutting edge of the aviation industry but dedication isn’t enough on its own. Genius counts for more and his main rival had plenty of that.

His main rival had a name. Jack Northrop.

Although Stringent felt empathy for Crinkle, his recent flight brimmed him with an almost sexual joy and he strode ahead rapidly, not caring to be brought down by the glum expression and nihilistic mutterings of the disappointed professor; but at the entrance to the control tower he turned for a last glance of the gleaming Northrop Gamma, its aerodynamic spats giving the airplane a curiously anthropomorphic appearance, like a jazz musician performing a primal dance.

Stringent’s psychology wasn’t quite that of a normal man and he often saw resemblances that no one else could perceive, or would even want to, but on this occasion he could be forgiven his conceit, for the machine did actually have the semblance of a speakeasy reveler. Three steps at a time he climbed the spiral stairway to the control room and grinned at the man who sat on a leather chair in front of a transmitter. This man had been in constant radio contact during the flight.

“A beautiful plane, Mr. Northrop,” Stringent said.

The seated man nodded once. “I’m glad you like it. I do feel bad about Tobias, but it’s a cutthroat business.”

“That’s true. We appreciate the situation.”

“Well, Jack,” cried Professor Crinkle as he emerged into the room. “It only remains for me to throw in the towel and admit I’m beaten. Stringent here says your new Gamma is something really special and I know better than to ever distrust his word on anything connected with aviation. So I’m going to quit the business and sell up.”

“That’s a shame,” said Jack. “You’re a good designer.”

The professor smiled wistfully. “Sure, but not a patch on you, and I’m not too proud to acknowledge the obvious. My own rival prototype, the Crinkle Crisp, just isn’t up to scratch. Sure, it’s faster than diarrhea in a Malay Peninsula missionary, but it doesn’t have the maneuverability of your model. Look, I don’t have a towel on me, just a pocket handkerchief, so I ought to throw that in instead.”

He bunched up the square of filthy cloth and hurled it at Jack’s head. It missed and struck the wall behind: a wholly symbolic gesture. The mucus acted like glue and it remained stuck on the wall. Stringent thought about wrenching it off, then decided not to.

Jack Northrop leaned back in his chair until the leather creaked and he made a pyramid with his fingertips. “Listen, Tobias, my new Gamma is a superb small cargo plane and does everything it should to make it the best of its kind in that category, but that doesn’t mean you should abandon all your ongoing projects. I’m extremely interested in some of your proposed innovations. The Flying Tail, for example. An aircraft without fuselage or wings, cutting drag to the minimum!”

Professor Crinkle shook his head. “I suspect you’re just flattering me, Jack. Agreed, my Flying Tail is a pretty neat idea, but the tests I’ve run on miniature models prove that it’s very unstable. And you’ve got your own low drag project, the Flying Wing.”

Jack licked his lips and lowered his voice.

“Yes, that’s a particular favorite of mine. But I’m going to come clean with the pair of you. There’s something even more special in the works. A stratospheric cruiser with a highly experimental propulsion system that’ll generate vast amounts of free power if it works properly. Forgive me if I don’t say much more at this stage.”

“You never cease to amaze me, Jack,” said Crinkle.

The leather creaked again as the occupant of the chair stood up. “Time is passing rapidly and I have an engagement in Los Angeles this evening, so I should make my farewells now.”

Stringent nodded. “Thanks for inviting us over, Mr. Northrop, and for letting me fly your Gamma.” He turned to the professor. “I know you are sore disappointed, doc, but at least you’ve been saved pumping more cash into that ridiculous Crinkle Crisp.”

“Yes, that was a rather large favor, dear boy.”

“Think nothing of it,” said Jack.

“Keep us updated about your triumphs, will you?” asked Crinkle. His reddening eyes blinked rapidly.

“Of course I will, Tobias. Maybe I’ll see you again before 1932 is out, and if you decide to let Stringent go, there’ll always be a job for him here. Have a safe journey back to…?”

“Tallahassee. That’s where we’re based.”

Jack’s eyebrows shot up. “In Florida? But I always believed you had headquarters somewhere in Nevada.”

“We did. Then a freak sandstorm destroyed all our hangars. We had no choice but to relocate and now we’re on the far side of the continent. Rent is lower and the climate isn’t so harsh, plus I prefer the food and the local Seminole workers are reliable.”

“And I enjoy swamp whores,” added Stringent.

There was an awkward pause.

“Ahem… Yes, well, many factors contribute to the desirability of the Florida Panhandle as a suitable location for our operations, not that there will be any further products rolling off my production line. My intention is to cancel all Crinkle Industry programs. I’ve had it with aviation, Jack. I can’t even face getting in a plane to return home. I think I’ll take a train instead. Is that fine by you, Stringy?”

Stringent nodded dubiously. “I guess so.”

Jack Northrop pulled on his coat and perched a hat on his head. “If I’d known you had to come so far, I wouldn’t have invited you over just for a few hours and a solitary test flight. Damn it, Florida’s two thousand miles distant and by locomotive it’s a monstrous and vaporous journey. And I’m not referring to California when I honestly point out that you don’t look in any fit state to go back right now.”

“I amrather tired,” admitted the professor.

Jack puffed out his cheeks. “In that case, why not spend the night here on the airfield? There’s a cabin on the edge of the runway with a bunk bed and a kitchen and other facilities. I had it built so I could sometimes work late without having to go home.”

Crinkle and Stringent exchanged glances.

“Why not?” they said in unison.

White Rocket Podcast 005: Jeff Deischer on Superheroes in Novels & Beyond– The Golden Age!

News
November 29, 2012

On this week’s episode of The White Rocket Podcast, New Pulp Author/Publisher Van Allen Plexico is joined by New Pulp best-selling author Jeff Deischer for part 2 of the series on “Superheroes in Novels and Beyond.” Van and Jeff discuss his new novel, THE GOLDEN AGE, which brings the classic Better/Nedor characters such as the Black Terror roaring into the New Pulp/novel realm. They discuss what makes pulp pulp, and what happens when you throw superheroic characters into that style of storytelling.

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Listen now at http://whiterocket.podbean.com/2012/11/29/white-rocket-005-superheroes-in-novels-beyond-pt-2-the-golden-age/
Also available on iTunes and via the Podcast app on iPhone/iPad.

Part 1 of the series, Episode 003, with guest Bobby Politte is available here.

The White Rocket Podcast is part of The ESO Network.

Tagged: novel