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June 7, 2013
Beginning with Tarzan, the pulp era was full of jungle heroes. Jungle Jim is one of the unique ones. He wasn’t a barely-literate loincloth-clad tree-dwelling wild man, but rather Jim Bradley, a “great white hunter” in the mold of heroes of earlier popular fiction such as H. Rider Haggard’s Allan Quatermain and Lord John Roxton from Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, who represented the colonial view of the so-called primitive regions of the globe. This gave him a distinctive difference from your run-of-the-mill jungle man, who often knew little about civilization and was equipped with not much more than a knife in most cases. Also, his stomping grounds were located in exotic southeastern Asia.
Produced by Jay Clark and often written by Gene Stafford, The Adventures of Jungle Jim was on the air weekly from 1935 to 1954, with announcer Glenn Riggs (among others). The show brought listeners tales of slave traders, pirates, foreign spies, wild beasts, poachers, hostile tribes, and, during World War II, the Japanese, as Jim often served as an Allied operative. Intended for a general audience, the series’ storylines are richer than the usual juvenile radio fare. Each exciting fifteen minutes episode opened with a section of the William Tell overture.
Matt Crowley originated the role, with Gerald Mohr, who had a long career in radio, film and television, taking over in 1938. Joined by his faithful aide, Kolu, a powerful Hindu giant (played by Juano Hernandez), Jungle Jim often encountered “Shanghai” Lille DeVrille (played by Vicki Vola and France Hale), who served as Jim’s femme fatale.
Described as a “gentleman adventurer, a true friend of all good men and relentless enemy of all bad ones, no matter what their race or creed may be”, Jungle Jim was so popular that in addition to his radio show, he also starred in film, comic books, comic strips and even television adaptations, portrayed notably by Johnny Weismuller in his post-Tarzan days.
This volume contains the first 40 fifteen minute episodes of The Adventures of Jungle Jim. Episodes #1 to #22 are “The Bat Woman” and episodes #23 to #40 comprise the first 18 exciting episodes of “The Purple Triangle.” 10 hours $29.98 Audio CDs / $14.99 Download.
Special 50% discount Offer
“The Cisco Kid, ” as old time radio and B-Western fans know him best, bears little resemblance to the character introduced by writer O. Henry in his 1907 short story “The Cabellero’s Way”: a dark-skinned white man passing himself off as Mexican, a scabrous, cold-blooded criminal who expunged his victims as much for the sheer joy of killing as he did as a necessity of his work.
Such a personality would seem to have little potential as a long-running star of juvenile adventure fiction — but the Kid made the transition, evolving from a series big-budget feature films at the dawn of the talking picture age, down into B-pictures, the comics, and radio. By the time Cisco arrived at the microphone, he had been greatly sanitized to make him acceptable kiddie fare and had picked up the obligatory humorous ethnic sidekick — Pancho, lifted without acknowledgement from Miguel Cervantes’ “Sancho Panza” character in “Don Quixote.”
Thus modified, “The Cisco Kid” became a great favorite with western/adventure fans during the 1940s. Dubbed “the Robin Hood of the Old West,” his radio adventures originated for many years at WOR, New York, and were widely syndicated by transcription by the Frederic W. Ziv Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. Jack Mather and Harry Lang filled the lead roles, supported by the usual WOR stock company, and the transcribed series was produced for nine highly successful and lucrative years.
Since the 1947-1956 syndicated ZIV series was pre-recorded, a great many of Cisco and Pancho’s adventures have been in the hands of collectors for years — with the majority of available programs dating from earlier entries in the series. Recently, however, a large collection of beautiful discs was discovered in Des Moines, Iowa — uncirculated and largely unplayed 16″ vinyl transcription recordings, carefully preserved by a local advertising agency. These programs have, for the most part, been unheard since the 1950s and most have never been available to collectors – a real “find” for radio enthusiasts everywhere.
In addition to their rarity, a unique feature of these restored broadcasts is the reintegration of regional commercials, voiced by well-known announcer Marvin Miller. The series was sponsored on a number of Midwestern radio stations by the bakers of Butter-nut Bread, and the program recordings were accompanied by separate discs containing the commercials. As presented in this set, the commercials have been edited back into the programs — allowing you to hear them just as they originally aired in the early 1950s.
Of special interest to radio enthusiasts are the last two shows in this collection: “Murder at North San Juan” and “Porfirio and the Bearded Lady,” starring Jack Mather as Cisco and Mel Blanc standing in for Harry “Pancho” Lang as Pancho’s cousin-in-law, Porfirio. Lang fell ill in early 1953 and, rather than have another actor temporarily fill in, the producers instead chose to have Pancho fall ill as well and be replaced with a series of relatives. For the next few months, a varied array of cousins and uncles would ride with Cisco until Harry was well enough to return to the show. Lang did return for a brief time but, sadly, he suffered a fatal heart attack in August of 1953. The relatives – including Uncle Jose and Great Uncle Cipriano – returned in his stead until, finally, Mel Blanc assumed the role of Pancho himself. Fans of the series will be happy to hear that there will be many more shows featuring Mel Blanc in his best “Frito Bandito” voice in upcoming “Cisco Kid” collections from Radio Archives. 10 hours. Regular Price $29.98 – Specially priced until June 20 for $14.99 Audio CDs / $7.49 Download.
It was the largest, most ambitious, and most successful military operation ever attempted — and radio was there to cover it.
D-Day, the invasion of Normandy. It was the turning point of the war in Europe, the beginning of the end for the Axis as the Allies started their drive towards Germany. It was a momentous event that would change not only the course of World War II, but the history of the world. Radio Archives is pleased and proud to offer the complete and continuous NBC network coverage of the events of June 6 and 7, 1944.
Noted inspirational author Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, King Haakon VII of Norway, Premier Gerbandy of the Netherlands, Premier Pierlot of Belgium, and US Senators Clark, Barkley, White, Hill and Congresswoman Clare Boothe Luce speak, as does the President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. General Eisenhower speaks from SHAEF headquarters.
Regular NBC shows were included in the broadcast, “The Bob Hope Show”, “Fibber McGee & Molly”, “The Guiding Light”, “Vic & Sade”, “The Red Skelton Show”, “The Road of Life”, “Today’s Children”, “Ma Perkins”, “Pepper Young’s Family”, “Mary Noble, Backstage Wife”, “Stella Dallas”, “Lorenzo Jones”, “Young Widder Brown”, “When A Girl Marries” and “Front Page Farrell” among them.
Hear the events of the day as reported by Ben Grauer, Cesar Saerchinger, Charles F. McCarthy, David Anderson, Don Goddard, Don Hollenbeck, Ed Hocker, Edward R. Murrow, Elmer Peterson, George Wheeler, H. V. Kaltenborn, Herbert M. Clark, James Willard, John W. Vandercook, Louis P. Lockner, Lowell Thomas, Merrill Mueller, Morgan Beatty, Ralph Howard, Richard Harkness, Robert McCormick, Robert St. John, Tommy Traynor, W. W. Chaplin and Wright Bryan. Alex Dreier, in Chicago, recalled his experiences as the last western correspondent in Nazi Germany while Stanley Richardson offered an eyewitness account of the invasion from the Channel boats, and George Hicks reported from the beach-head itself!
These are recordings that many historians believe to be among the most valuable audio documents ever preserved. The NBC broadcasts — containing over 38 hours of continuous programming of news, music, drama, comedy, and entertainment — are history as it happened, in a special collection that is sure to occupy a special place in your radio collection. 38 hours. Normally priced at $113.98 Audio CDs / $56.99 Download, D-Day is Specially priced through the month of June at only $99.98 Audio CDs / $49.99 Download.
On June 6, 2004, in remembrance of the 60th anniversary of the Normandy invasion, the ABC Radio program Perspective featured a fascinating story detailing radio’s coverage of D-Day as it happened in 1944. Written, edited, and narrated by ABC reporter Chuck Sivertsen, the feature utilized clips from the D-Day collection described above. We think this in-depth and well-presented piece provides an excellent overview of the historic content of this collection.
Will Murray’s Pulp Classics #27
by Kendell Foster Crossen writing as Richard Foster
Read by James C. Lewis. Liner Notes by Will Murray
The jade-robed Buddhist priest who battled crime as The Green Lama is back! Conceived in 1939 at the behest of the editors of Munsey Publications to compete with The Shadow, The Green Lama was the creation of writer Kendell Foster Crossen, who was asked to think up a hero who could lure mystery-minded readers away from The Shadow’s loyal legion of followers.
“The basis for the Green Lama came after I’d read a non-fiction book review in the New York Times about an American who really became a lama,” Crossen once recalled. “The book was titled, The Penthouse of the Gods.”
From that gossamer inspiration, the writer spun an outrageously unique superhero. Returning to the States, young Jethro Dumont assumed an alternative identity of the Buddhist cleric, the Reverend Dr. Pali, then began gathering about him a band of civic-minded citizens to join him in his Buddhistic battle against suffering in all forms—particularly those caused by criminals. And aiding him from the shadows, the mysterious Magga, a woman of many faces who had taken an interest in guiding The Green Lama’s campaign against malefactors.
It was an outlandish concept. While The Shadow possessed the power to cloud men’s minds after his time in the East, The Green Lama relied on other, even weirder, powers—including the ability to become radioactive and electrically shock opponents into submission! He carried a traditional Tibetan scarf, which he employed to bind and befuddle opponents, and possessed a knowledge of vulnerable nerve centers which he put to good use in hand-and-hand combat. Being a practicing Buddhist, it would not do for The Green Lama pack a pair of .45 automatics a la The Shadow!
“The real success of the Lama was because of the mysticism,” Ken Crossen recalled. “We received a tremendous amount of mail about the Lama. People would come into the offices of the publishing company asking to see him. If he wasn’t there, they’d want to talk with Richard Foster.” Foster was the name of the imaginary “author” of the series.
James C. Lewis gives a thrilling performance of the mystical Green Lama for two more exciting exploits, Babies for Sale and The Wave of Death, both set in 1940 Hollywood. Om Mani Padme Hum! The Green Lama knows! 6 hours $23.98 Audio CDs / $11.99 Download.
RadioArchives.com and Will Murray are giving away the downloadable version of the newly released Strange Detective Mysteries audiobook for FREE.
If you prefer the Audio CDs to play in your car or home CD player, the coupon code will subtract the $11.99 price of the download version from the Audio CDs. That makes the Audio CDs half price.
Add Strange Detective Mysteries to the shopping cart and use the Coupon Code AUDIOBOOK.
“Strange Detective Mysteries #1 is one of my favorite pulps and I am excited to produce it as an audiobook with my good friends at Radio Archives. It leads off with Norvell W. Page’s bizarre novelette, “When the Death-Bat Flies,” and includes thrilling stories by Norbert Davis, Paul Ernst, Arthur Leo Zagat, Wayne Rogers and others. Popular Publications went all-out to make this 1937 debut issue a winner. And they succeeded!”
Happy listening,
Will Murray
New Will Murray’s Pulp Classics eBooks
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 eReader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator #5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like the Octopus and Captain Satan. Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday’s Pulp today!
The veterinarian’s ambulance was jammed, not with afflicted animals, but with human beings — monstrously deformed, and driven out into the street by men with whips! Richard Wentworth beheld this horror, and realized that a new Reign of Terror had struck New York! For somewhere, hidden from the baffled police, was a new Underworld master whom men called the Wreck. Foully misshapen, he had twisted countless victims — by means of drugs and operations — into his own evil image. And with this nightmare army he was plundering Manhattan! No area was safe from his vulture’s claws — not even the World’s Fair! But Richard Wentworth did not fear to challenge this crime-master — and with the Spider’s keen weapons began his fight to save a great metropolis from madness and death. Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.
G-8 and His Battle Aces rode the nostalgia boom ten years after World War I ended. These high-flying exploits were tall tales of a World War that might have been, featuring monster bats, German zombies, wolf-men, harpies, Martians, and even tentacled floating monsters. Most of these monstrosities were the work of Germany’s seemingly endless supply of mad scientists, chief of whom was G-8’s recurring Nemesis, Herr Doktor Krueger. G-8 battled Germany’s Halloween shock troops for over a decade, not ceasing until the magazine folded in the middle of World War II. G-8 and his Battle Aces return in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
The jade-robed Buddhist priest who battled crime as The Green Lama is back! Conceived in 1939 at the behest of the editors of Munsey Publications to compete with The Shadow, it was an outlandish concept. While The Shadow possessed the power to cloud men’s minds after his time in the East, The Green Lama relied on other, even weirder, powers — including the ability to become radioactive and electrically shock opponents into submission! He carried a traditional Tibetan scarf, which he employed to bind and befuddle opponents, and possessed a knowledge of vulnerable nerve centers which he put to good use in hand-and-hand combat. Om Mani Padme Hum! The Green Lama knows! The Green Lama returns in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a collection of stories from the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, all written by Hugh B. Cave, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
99 cent eBook Singles
Each 99 cent eBook Single contains a single short story, one of the many amazing tales selected from the pages of Terror Tales and Rangeland Romances. These short stories are not included in any of our other eBooks.
Van Rees knew he must unravel the dreadful secret of that buried charnel house — if he were to save the girl he loved from the crimson hands of the — Devil’s Surgeon! In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
It was a school of helpless, frightened girls, too young to guess at the true nature of the thing which nightly brought them fear and death. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
Breezy young Poppy thought it would be lively fun — and good politics — to stir up all the women against the men. One of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.
Cowboy Chad knew a sure cure for the luscious little man-hater. Man-hatin’ Verlee found she was a tenderfoot at keepin’ her heart on her hatin’ when she met up with a Petticoat-Corralin’ Hombre. One of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook 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 at:
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Receive an exciting original Spider adventure FREE! 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.
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps, this is a perfect chance 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 get a copy of this classic.
See what the Total Pulp Experience is for yourself. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine.
Send an eMail to eBooks@RadioArchives.com and start reading your FREE copy of the Spider #11 within seconds! Experience The Best Pulps the Past has to offer in the most modern way possible!
Richard Wentworth, in the guise of his crime-fighting alter-ego, returns in two classic tales of The Spider. First, in “Satan’s Death Blast” (1934), normal and healthy men are going about their work one minute but, in the next minute, they literally cease to exist, wiped out by a devilish power beyond human comprehension. Taking credit for these atrocities is a mastermind who calls himself the Devil – and only The Spider dares discover if he can indeed beat the Devil! Next, no one gazed upon the new Czar of Crime and lived to tell about it, as he could inflict instant death upon his victims simply by looking at them! He, too, called himself the Devil, and with The Spider accused of murder and Richard Wentworth under suspicion by the police, he has the Devil’s luck in “Murder’s Legionnaires” (1942). 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. On sale for $12.95, save $2.00
The Knight of Darkness proves that crime does not pay in two pulp classics by Walter B. Gibson writing as “Maxwell Grant.” First, The Shadow follows a trail of murder to retrieve the priceless rubies known as “The Seven Drops of Blood.” Then, to prove the innocence of a man accused of an impossible crime, the Dark Avenger must uncover the strange secret behind “Death from Nowhere.” BONUS: The Whisperer brings true sight to “The Eye of Zion” in a thriller by Alan Hathway writing as “Clifford Goodrich.” This instant collector’s item features the classic color pulp covers by Graves Gladney and George Rozen, the original interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, and commentary by popular culture historian Will Murray. $14.95.
The original “Man of Steel” returns in three action-packed pulp thrillers by Paul Ernst and Emile Tepperman writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, The Avenger is blamed when massive power outages black out North America. Can Dick Benson locate the mastermind called Nevlo in time to prevent a deadly final blackout? Then, Death in Slow Motion cripples an American industry, and Justice, Inc. must find an antidote in time to save hundreds from the deadly paralysis plague! Finally, a defeated crook returns to plot Vengeance on The Avenger in an exciting novelette by Spider-wordsmith Emile Tepperman. This classic pulp reprint includes both color covers by Graves Gladney, Paul Orban’s dynamic interior illustrations and commentary by pulp historian Will Murray. $14.95.
80th Anniversary Commemorative Special. Commemorating the Man of Bronze’s anniversary with two expanded novels, restored from Lester Dent’s original manuscripts with never-before-published text! First, a Wall Street scandal sets the Man of Bronze on the golden trail of “The Midas Man,” who plots to control the global financial system. Then, while recovering from a serious head wound, a disoriented Doc Savage battles modern-day pirates and murderous zombies in “The Derelict of Skull Shoal.” PLUS: “80 Years of Doc Savage”: a Pictorial History of the Pulps’ Greatest Superman! This landmark collector’s edition features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.
80th Anniversary Commemorative Special. Commemorating the Man of Bronze’s anniversary with two expanded novels, restored from Lester Dent’s original manuscripts with never-before-published text! First, a Wall Street scandal sets the Man of Bronze on the golden trail of “The Midas Man,” who plots to control the global financial system. Then, while recovering from a serious head wound, a disoriented Doc Savage battles modern-day pirates and murderous zombies in “The Derelict of Skull Shoal.” PLUS: “80 Years of Doc Savage”: a Pictorial History of the Pulps’ Greatest Superman! This landmark collector’s edition features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.
Featured Girasol Replica: Operator #5 #1 April 1934 [Pulp Replica] This is an authentic replica of an original pulp magazine published by Girasol Collectables. This edition is designed to give the reader an authentic taste of what a typical pulp magazine was like when it was first issued – but without the frailty or expense of trying to find a decades-old collectable to enjoy. The outer covers, the interior pages, and the advertisements are reprinted just as they appeared in the original magazine, left intact to give the reader the true feel of the original as well as an appreciation for the way in which these publications were first offered to their avid readers. To further enhance the “pulp experience”, this edition is printed on off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look while, at the same time, assuring that this edition will last far longer than the original upon which it is based. The overall construction and appearance of this reprint is designed to be as faithful to the original magazine as is reasonably possible, given the unavoidable changes in production methods and materials. $35.00
Continuing to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Doc Savage and King Kong
Radio Archives continues to offers new King Kong and Doc Savage products. We are proud to offer high-quality limited edition Joe DeVito posters. Click here to take a look at these four gorgeous paintings by this award winning artist.
Will Murray’s Monumental New Novel
Doc Savage vs. King Kong!
Eighty years ago in February, 1933 the Street & Smith company released the first issue of Doc Savage Magazine, introducing one of the most popular and influential pulp superheroes ever to hit the American scene. Doc Savage was the greatest adventurer and scientist of his era, and while his magazine ended in 1949, he influenced the creators of Superman, Batman, Star Trek, The Man from UNCLE and the Marvel Universe—to name only a few.
While that first issue of Doc Savage was fresh on Depression newsstands, RKO Radio Pictures released one of the most important fantasy films of all time. Everyone knows the story of how King Kong was discovered on Skull Island and hauled back to New York in chains, only to perish tragically atop the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building.
As it happened, that was where Doc Savage had his world headquarters. For decades, fans have wondered: Where was Doc the day Kong fell?
On the eightieth anniversary of these fictional giants, Altus Press is proud to release the first authorized clash between The Man of Bronze and the Eighth Wonder of the World—Doc Savage: Skull Island. Written by Will Murray in collaboration with Joe DeVito, creator of KONG: King of Skull Island, Doc Savage: Skull Island is a new pulp epic.
The story opens when Doc returns from his secret retreat in the North Pole to discover the cold corpse of Kong lying on his doorstep.
“I know this creature,” Doc tells his dumbfounded men.
Tasked to dispose of the remains, the Man of Bronze then relates the untold story of his epic encounter with Kong back in 1920, after Doc returns from service in World War I, long before Kong became known to the civilized world as “King” Kong.
Doc Savage: Skull Island is a multi-generational story in which Doc and his father—the man who placed him in the hands of scientists who made him into a superman—sail to the Indian Ocean in search of Doc’s grandfather, the legendary Stormalong Savage, whose famous clipper ship has been discovered floating, deserted, her masts snapped by some incredible force.
The quest for Stormalong Savage leads to the fog-shrouded Indian Ocean and—Skull Island! There, Doc Savage faces his first great test as he encounters its prehistoric dangers and tangles with the towering, unstoppable Kong.
“When Joe DeVito brought this idea to me,” says Will Murray, “I knew it had to be written with reverence for both of these immortal characters. So I used the locale of Skull Island to tell a larger story, an untold origin for Doc Savage. It all started back on Skull Island….”
“Pulling off the first ever face-off between Doc Savage and King Kong was both challenging and exhilarating,” adds DeVito. “Will’s unique take on the tale scatters the primordial mists surrounding Skull Island long enough to reveal secrets of both classic characters hidden since their creation.”
Doc Savage: Skull Island has already been hailed as “The Doc Savage novel that Doc fans have been waiting on for 80 years!”
Doc Savage: Skull Island is the fifth entry in Altus Press’ popular Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series. Cover by Joe DeVito. $24.95.
Review of Satan’s Death Blast from The Spider, Volume 12
By Andrew Salmon
To say that Norvell Page’s Spider novels are intense is akin to saying that fire is hot. Satan’s Death Blast, first published in the June 1934 issue of The Spider magazine features all of the trappings one can expect from the series. A diabolical villain disguised as the Devil himself, a deadly explosive that can level buildings, break-neck action and countdown clock intensity. These are all present to give the novel an immediacy that can be felt today as easily as it was back in ‘34. Page does not disappoint, constantly ratcheting up the action while turning the screws until you can scarcely breathe.
Another element well on display here is Page’s penchant for putting the Spider through an emotional as well as physical wringer. Generally speaking, a case can be made for the precarious mental state of Richard Wentworth at the best of times so when the heat gets turned up, his brain really begins to churn. His burning desire for justice and/or vengeance is what drives the tale and he suffers the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune as he tries to prevent the Devil from using his revolutionary explosive to create panic as he loots cities of their wealth. One of those arrows cuts right to his heart: betrayal! Watching Wentworth wrestle with a traitor in his midst – the person closest to him – makes for the special anguish that is particular to the Spider stories. Nowhere is it better showcased than in this ripper of a novel. The Spider’s failure to prevent catastrophe early in the story spurs him on and he’ll endure bullets and stabs wounds as he’s pushed to the edge of not only his sanity but his mortality as well. Spider novels are all-out adventures and Satan’s Death Blast is not only one of the most exciting in the long line of incredible Spider adventures, it also packs more wallop than any half-dozen summer blockbusters. Action, intensity, sacrifice, betrayal, failure, triumph – they are all here in spades.
Satan’s Death Blast is a great read and as good a place as any for anyone not familiar with the Spider to get their feet wet. This Spider novel is not to be missed. Girasol Replica #GC1xx $35.00 / eBook #RE009 $2.99 / Double Novel reprint #12 #5512 $14.95 On sale for $12.95, save $2.00
Comments From Our Customers!
James Droegemueller writes:
Thanks for this awesome sale on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Volume 1. I love OTR (and the pulps, even more!) and am excited to listen to this.
Christopher Southworth writes:
Woo-hoo! G-8, at last! Thanks, as always, and have a great weekend!
Bobby Nash writes:
i was set up at the Alabama a Phoenix Fest this weekend and am pleased to share the news that my biggest seller of the weekend was Nightbeat, of which I sold out. There were some who looked at it and left with my business card and links with promises of ordering the digital download. I met several OTR fans.
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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