Author: Tommy Hancock

RADIO ARCHIVES LATEST AND GREATEST!


Welcome to Another Weekly Newsletter from RadioArchives.com!

* New in Old Time Radio: The Jimmy Durante Show, Volume 2
* New in Pulp Fiction: The Spider Volume 19, The Shadow Volume 48, and Doc Savage Volume 47
* The Best Deals are in the Radio Archives Treasure Chest
* Also New in Old Time Radio: The Adventures of Archie Andrews
* Coming Soon: Pulp Audiobooks from RadioArchives.com

New in Old Time Radio: The Jimmy Durante Show, Volume 2 The first half of the 20th century was a great time for entertainment, with amazingly talented performers dominating the Broadway stage, vaudeville, and nightclubs. But, in the annals of show business, few entertainers achieved the lengthy and enduring career claimed by Jimmy Durante.

Nicknamed “Schnozzola” for his oversized nose, Jimmy Durante first came to prominence as a teenager, playing New York’s restaurant and nightclub circuit as Ragtime Jimmy. Bitten by the show-biz bug, he dropped out of school in the eighth grade and soon teamed up with fellow entertainers Lou Clayton and Eddie Jackson to form a musical comedy trio that wowed nightclub audiences with its boisterous unpredictability, Durante’s aggressive interaction with the musicians, and his penchant for destroying pianos in mock frustration. Clayton, Jackson, and Durante quickly gained a reputation as one of the most hilarious acts in town – and, by the mid-1920s, the team was being featured in vaudeville, culminating in a lengthy run at New York’s Palace Theater. In 1929, Broadway called them for a featured spot in “Show Girl” and, by the time Cole Porter’s “The New Yorkers” opened in 1930, Durante was a star.

Jimmy continued his Broadway success in a string of popular shows and revues throughout the 1930s, but it was his role in “Jumbo” that brought him the most acclaim, playing the brash owner of a circus in an extravaganza that brought all of the delights of the Big Top to New York’s massive Hippodrome Theater. But he didn’t limit himself solely to the Great White Way; thanks to appearances in a series of films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and a guest star spot on Rudy Vallee’s Fleischmann Hour, by 1933, Durante had taken over for Eddie Cantor as the host of radio’s “Chase and Sanborn Hour”. On the air, Durante’s broad delivery, overwhelming personality, and penchant for mangling his words only increased his popularity with laugh-hungry Depression-era audiences and his next radio series – “Jumbo”, based partially on the Broadway show – kept him a welcome visitor in American homes.

For a time, aside from an occasional radio guest appearance, Durante devoted himself solely to the stage and nightclubs. But, in 1943, Hollywood beckoned once again with the offer of comedic roles in a series of motion pictures. For this opportunity, Durante relocated to Hollywood, where he was also signed to headline a CBS series titled “The Camel Caravan”. The new series found the Schnozz co-starred with a fresh voiced young comedian named Garry Moore in what initially seemed to be an odd and highly unlikely pairing. As so often happens, however, the mismatched duo instantly clicked as a team, ratings went through the roof, and Durante’s patented brand of language mangling and outraged interaction with the orchestra introduced him to radio audiences all over again. Durante and Moore enjoyed four successful seasons together until Moore decided to pursue a solo career at the end of the 1946/47 season.

With Moore’s departure, in the fall of 1947, Jimmy Durante signed a contract to host a new series on NBC for the Rexall Drug Company, costarring vocalist Peggy Lee and character actor Victor Moore. Loud, boisterous, and wildly entertaining, “The Jimmy Durante Show” proved just as popular as its predecessor – so much so, in fact, that the following season found Durante back on CBS and back with Camel Cigarettes for another two years before the Schnozz finally moved full-time to television in the early 1950s.

The ten shows in this second compact disc collection, priced at just $14.98, showcase Jimmy Durante at his bigger-than-life best, complete with the fractured English, gravel voiced musical numbers, and warmhearted buffoonery that made him a show business legend. As an added bonus, this set includes two shows broadcast while Jimmy was in the hospital recovering from surgery – and it’s a mark of his reputation among show people that the personalities filling in for him include the Wizard of Oz himself, Frank Morgan, as well as the World’s Greatest Entertainer, Al Jolson. Taken directly from original master recordings and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity, this second volume of “The Jimmy Durante Show” offers an additional selection of shows that are just as fresh, alive, and vibrant as they were when they were first aired over sixty years ago. If you love a good belly laugh, you’ll want to stop by RadioArchives.com and pick up your copy right away.
New in Pulp Fiction: The Spider Volume 19, The Shadow Volume 48, and Doc Savage Volume 47

At RadioArchives.com, we love the thrills, chills, and excitement that only a great pulp fiction story can provide. That’s why we’re excited to announce that three brand new reprints featuring the top heroes from the 1930s and 1940s are now available from RadioArchives.com:

Pulp fiction’s legendary Master of Men returns in “The Spider Volume 19”, featuring two classic novels written by Norvell Page under the pseudonym of Grant Stockbridge. First, in “Slaves of the Dragon”, white slavery is stripping America of its wives, sisters and sweethearts. Richard Wentworth, valiant champion of human rights, knows that an Oriental master criminal is captaining the slavery syndicate and has guessed the unspeakable purpose behind these wholesale abductions. Can the Spider outwit his most formidable foe and save America’s doomed womanhood? Then, in “The Spider and his Hobo Army”, murder and destruction has stupefied the nation. The zero hour has come and the vast and insidious Order of the Double Cross is ready to blast America from the face of the earth. Can The Spider crush the minions of the Double Cross, with only a handful of ragged hobos to aid him? This beautifully reformatted double-novel version of these two pulp classics, priced at just $14.95, features the original cover art and interior illustrations that accompany each story.

Next, in “The Shadow Volume 48”, the Dark Avenger continues the celebration of his 80th anniversary in an extra-length issue that pairs his explosive second adventure with a gripping novel of international intrigue. In “The Eyes of The Shadow”, the Knight of Darkness assumes the identity of Lamont Cranston to investigate a series of baffling serial murders in a groundbreaking novel that introduced the Shadow’s famous alter ego and his enigmatic agent, Burbank. Then, can The Shadow stop “The Money Master” before his financial machinations destroy the global economy? This instant collectors’ item, priced at just $14.95, showcases the classic cover paintings by George Rozen and John A. Coughlin, the original interior illustrations by George H. Wert and Paul Orban, two never-before-published articles by the Shadow’s creator Walter B. Gibson, and historical commentary by Will Murray.

Finally, in “Doc Savage Volume 47”, pulp fiction’s legendary Man of Bronze returns in three action-packed thrillers by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, when a man claiming to have found the secret of eternal life is murdered, Doc Savage journeys to Mexico searching for an answer in the remote “Weird Valley”. Then, only the Man of Bronze can provide a beautiful con artist with an antidote for murder in “Let’s Kill Ames”. Finally, a lost city of Incas battles over the strange power of “The Green Master”. This classic pulp reprint, priced at just $14.95, features the original color pulp covers by George Rozen, Modest Stein, and Walter Swenson, plus Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray.

If you’ve been collecting these beautifully reformatted issues as they are released, you’ll want to place your order for these new books right away. And if you’ve never read a pulp novel – well, you’re in for a real treat! Be sure to stop by RadioArchives.com today and check out our pulp fiction section, where you’ll find more of the exciting and engrossing tales of Doc Savage, The Shadow, The Spider, the Whisperer, and The Avenger.
The Best Deals are in the Radio Archives Treasure Chest
If you’re a regular visitor to our website at RadioArchives.com, we don’t have to tell you about our Treasure Chest Bonus Deals. They’re right there on our home page, with new ones posted all the time, and they give you the chance to add something very special to each and every one of your orders with us.

But if you’ve never heard about our Treasure Chest, well, it’s high time that you did! You see, when you submit an order for $35.00 or more at RadioArchives.com, you get the chance to add a Treasure Chest Bonus Deal to your order. On the weekends following their release, you’ll find our newest compact disc collection there – and it will be priced at just 99 Cents! During the week, you’ll find other great deals, including pulp fiction reprints, books, DVD sets, and other CD collections containing hours of great sounding radio entertainment. But no matter what day you happen to stop by, you’ll find a great deal waiting for you on the home page of RadioArchives.com.

This week, for example, you’ll want to circle the dates on your calendar to remember to take advantage of these great deals:

* Today through Monday May 23rd, you can get our newest CD set – “The Jimmy Durante Show, Volume 2”, a $14.98 value – for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.

* On Tuesday May 24th, the Man of Bronze and his Fabulous Five are featured in “Doc Savage Volume 16”, featuring two exciting adventures from pulp fiction’s Golden Age. First, in “The Secret in the Sky”, Doc journeys to Oklahoma to investigate the murder of a Nobel Prize-winning scientist. Then, in “The Giggling Ghosts,” a toxic outbreak of uncontrollable hilarity is causing New Jersey residents to literally laugh themselves to death. This beautifully reformatted double-novel reprint, chock full of special features, is normally priced at $12.95 – but you can enjoy these two exciting adventures for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.

* On Wednesday May 25th, you’ll laugh along with one of radio’s most hilarious and innovative comedy teams in “Matinee with Bob and Ray, Volume 1”, an hilarious ten-CD set featuring 20 rare broadcasts from Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding’s earliest days at radio station WHDH in Boston, Massachusetts. This ten-hour collection of improvisational entertainment, transferred from the original one-of-kind transcriptions and fully restored for impressive audio fidelity, normally sells for $29.98 – but it can be yours for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.

* In the 1930s, nobody combined high style, romantic comedy, and drama better than Carole Lombard. A talented comedic actress with the face of an angel, Lombard illuminated the silver screen with her sparkling wit and dazzling beauty. Now you have the chance to enjoy six of her most hilarious and heartwarming films in “Carole Lombard – The Glamour Collection”, featuring such top name costars as Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Fred MacMurray, William Powell, John Barrymore, and Ralph Bellamy. This set, offering two double-sided DVDs, normally sells for $26.98 – but on Thursday, May 26th, it can be yours for Just $3.99 when you place an order of $35.00 or more.

We’re sorry but, at these low prices, multiple orders cannot be combined into single shipments. Each separate order must be placed on the days on which the specials are offered and no early or late orders will be accepted.

Make it a habit to visit RadioArchives.com often and see what’s waiting for you in the Treasure Chest. It’s great way to stretch your entertainment budget and add to your personal library of radio, pulp, and movie favorites.

New in Old Time Radio: The Adventures of Archie Andrews When we look back at American family life in the late 1930s, many of us view it not through the eyes of reality but, instead, thru the rose colored glasses of popular culture. If you were young yourself at that time, you have a more realistic memory of those years – but, if you’re a baby boomer and beyond, you’re more likely to imagine a typical American home, circa 1940, as being in Carvel where a teenager named Andy Hardy lives: clean, pleasant, prosperous, and where every challenge, crisis, or misadventure is resolved in time for a happy ending – complete with the occasional musical number.

It’s not surprising that we have this rosy vision of the past; after all, every entertainment medium did its best to create and sustain this image. Hollywood gave us a seemingly endless series of Andy Hardy movies, the Broadway stage gave us “What a Life!” which introduced the perpetually teenaged Henry Aldrich, and radio quickly turned Henry and his friend Homer into comedy characters that would endure for over a decade. As the 1940s progressed, the trend continued: perky teenager Corliss Archer came to radio in 1943, as did “A Date with Judy” – both sit-coms featuring a typical teenage girl dealing with her boyfriends, her often baffled parents, and the overwhelming dramas of high school social life. But it wasn’t the stage, screen, or radio that would bring us our most enduring and innocent image of teenaged life; it was, instead, the comics.

In December of 1941, just two weeks after Pearl Harbor, Pep Comics introduced a new character that continues to entertain readers to this very day – and his name is Archie Andrews. From the beginning, Archie was the epitome of the American teenager of the 1940s: dressed in a polka dot bow tie with a letterman’s sweater that proclaimed his loyalty to Riverdale High, he drove a souped-up jalopy, hung out with the perpetually lazy Jughead Jones, and spent most of his time in a lovesick haze. Aside from occasional crushes on movie goddesses, Archie divided his affection between two teenaged beauties: Betty Cooper, a bright and down-to-earth blonde, and Veronica Lodge, a wealthy brunette who loved to toy with Archie’s affections. Hitting just the right mix of familiarity, slapstick comedy, and small-town warmth, Archie and his pals were an instant hit with teen readers – and, in less than a year, the characters had made their way from comic books to a daily newspaper comic strip and to radio.

In its first incarnation, “The Adventures of Archie Andrews” was a daily fifteen-minute radio series, aired over the Blue Network. Ratings were respectable and, after a brief move to a half-hour weekly slot, the five-a-week format returned on Mutual in 1944. But the series really hit its stride in June of 1945, when a largely new cast was introduced and it premiered over NBC in a Saturday morning slot that it would happily occupy for eight years. For the majority of the Saturday morning run, Archie was played by Bob Hastings, a talented young actor who had already made his reputation playing juveniles on dramatic programs. Woman-hating food-loving Jughead was played by Harlan Stone, perky Betty was played by Rosemary Rice, and the honey-voiced Veronica was played by Gloria Mann. If you were looking for subtlety or teenaged angst, you were never going to find it on “The Adventures of Archie Andrews”; in typical sit-com fashion, the plots usually revolved around some simple misunderstanding that quickly turned into bedlam. Aimed straight at a pre-teen audience, the programs were designed to be nothing more than loud, goofy, and fun – and, from the reactions of the studio audience that attended each live broadcast, the show was clearly adored by its listeners.

Priced at just $20.98, “The Adventures of Archie Andrews” offers fourteen original NBC broadcasts, taken from the original network master recordings and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity. If you’ve enjoyed the other comedy collections released by RadioArchives.com – and especially if Archie and his pals were a big part of your youth – this is a collection you simply won’t want to miss.
Coming Soon: Pulp Audiobooks from Radio Archives

You’ve thrilled to their exciting adventures in print! Now enjoy your favorite pulp stories in a whole new way in a brand new series of audiobooks, coming soon from RadioArchives.com!

For decades, the novels of Doc Savage, The Spider, and other classic heroes have occupied a special place in the hearts of readers everywhere. Now, by special arrangement with the authors, owners, and publishers of these thrill-packed adventures, Radio Archives.com will soon be offering full length unabridged audiobook adaptations of these timeless tales.

The first series of audiobooks, scheduled for release in the late Spring of 2011, will be the Doc Savage novels written by renowned writer Will Murray – starting with his classic adventure story, “Python Isle”. Future series will include the exploits of The Spider, the Master of Men, and Secret Agent “X”, as well as other well-known crimefighters from pulp fiction’s Golden Age. These new audio productions will feature the talents of some of the top voice actors in the country and will be produced and directed by Roger Rittner, who created the “Adventures of Doc Savage” full-cast radio series, now available from RadioArchives.com.

For more information on these exciting new releases, click here: Audiobooks from RadioArchives.com

Be watching for updates on our website and also special features in our weekly newsletters as we begin the “Countdown to Adventure” with pulp audiobooks, coming to you soon from RadioArchives.com!

FULL PULP ARK AWARD CEREMONY VIDEO!

FULL PULP ARK AWARD CEREMONY VIDEO!

That’s right, Pulpsters…here’s just a bit more PULP ARK goodness provided by Derrick Ferguson.  This is an 18 minute video of the FIRST ANNUAL PULP ARK AWARDS Ceremony held on Saturday, May 14th…You will get to see acceptance speeches, laughs, giggles, and even The Pulptress herself!  Click and watch!

INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST MD JACKSON! BY JOSHUA REYNOLDS!

ALL PULP INTERVIEW –MD JACKSON, ARTIST
BY GUEST COLUMNIST JOSHUA REYNOLDS
AP: Let’s start off with an easy one…who IS MD Jackson? Is he man? Mystery? Monster? None of the above?
MDJ: Well, that depends on who you ask. If you ask my wife she would probably agree with ‘monster’, although ‘bear’ would probably fit better — you know — big and furry, sometimes cuddly and sometimes grumpy, particularly when he’s hungry (although I have heard the words ‘sexy man’ come out of her mouth and George Clooney was nowhere to be seen so…). I am a human (well, humanoid at any rate) and I fall quite definitely into the male camp as far as gender goes, so, yes I am a man. Logically I am a mystery to people who do not know me, but perhaps not one that anyone cares about. Not like the real mysteries of life like; where does the time go? or Why does only one sock come out of the dryer when you know you put two in?
AP: Your work has a real pulp-tastic vibe to it…was that intentional? Is it a conscious style choice, or is your style more organic?
MDJ:The pulp influence in my work is very intentional. One of the things I love most in the world are old pulp magazines. I love everything about the pulps but particularly the cover art. Those covers virtually had to scream from the newsstand PICK ME! PICK ME! That is the kind of visceral impact I can get behind. I figure, why be subtle? Hit people where it hurts. Make them notice you. I know a lot of people get turned off by that, but I’m not Thomas Kinkade. You want pretty cottages then you might want to avoid my website.
AP:Is it true you’re Canadian? If so, how exactly is British Columbia ‘British’? Who’s your favorite Prime Minister?
MDJ:Yes, I was fortunate enough to be born within Canada’s borders. There are parts of Britisch Columbia that are very British, more British than British — Victoria, BC on Vancouver Island for one — but then there’s other parts that are very German. Some places are very Swiss or Ukranian and there’s even some parts that are Hungarian. On the whole the province is very Old World-y and European-y, except where it is Native Land, then it’s not European at all.
My favorite Prime Minister was John A. MacDonald. He was a drunken old Scots reprobate and was a lot of fun. This one time we went on a bender together. It lasted so long the Toronto Star actually wrote a story that he’d died. We laughed our asses off about that one, I can tell you.
AP: What about influences? What artists (if any) do you (did you) take inspiration from?
MDJ:I’m easily influenced. I cave to peer pressure like a house of cards. Artistically, though my biggest influence is Frank Frazetta. Mind you, all fantasy artists are influenced by Frazetta whether they admit it or not (and if they deny it then they’re big old liars).  Boris Vallejo, obviously and James Bama. Remember those old Doc Savage Paperback covers? Love that stuff! All of them were influenced (as am I) by pulp artists like Walter Baumhoffer, Rafael DeSoto, Norman Saunders and Alan Anderson to name but a few.
AP:Still on the subject of inspiration, what other wells do you draw creative waters from?
MDJ: Actually we don’t use a well. Our water comes from a tap. Just because I’m a Canadian doesn’t mean I’m not a modern guy!
I am also inspired by the architecture of antiquity, ancient ruins, ancient armour, castles, period clothes — these things inspire me. Photography does as well, particularly for lighting and mood. And, of course, hollywood movies with their ubiquitous CGI and 3d spectacle. I used to take inspiration from comic books as well, but not so much anymore.
Really detailed pen-and-ink work is inspiring. I could stare at the work of such artists as Windsor McCay, Willy Pogany, Franklin Booth, or Joseph Clement Coll for hours.
AP: You’re Canadian so you should know this…is the Wendigo real?
MDJ: You’re darn tootin’ she’s real! She was my sister-in-law! (did I say that out loud?)
AP: Are you a life-studies man, or do you free-style it?
MDJ: I go back and forth. I can’t afford models per-se and it is hard convincing people to pose for you (but it can be fun if it’s the wife and there’s lots of costumes and props involved) but the final product is always better (I think, anyway) if there are some solid references, particularly for period clothing and genre specific items like weapons and such.
AP: That’s a suspicious answer if I’ve ever heard one. Are you a wendigo?
MDJ: I said Sister-in-law… not sister, sister IN-LAW…!
AP: Describe the ‘MD Jackson Process’ for us…how do you approach a given project?
MDJ: Once I’ve accepted a commission the first stage is usually PANIC! “How am I supposed to do this? Am I insane? I’m not talented enough to do this! What was I thinking?” that sort of thing.
Once I calm down I usually sit down in a big comfy chair with a cup of hot tea and my low-tech equipment: A 9″ X 12″ sketchpad and and H or H2 pencil. I will just turn of my brain and let my had do all the work. I start with thumbnails for composition and I will do anywhere up to a dozen or so little sketches until I get two or three that I think will work. If I’m working for someone else I will work these thumbnails up into more detailed sketches and let the client see and decide. If it’s just for me I’ll usually just pick the one I like best and go with it.
After the client chooses one layout then I’ll start collecting references, shoot some photos if I have to, and start narrowing down a colour scheme. After that I start working. I paint digitally using Corel Painter X. I usually work background to foreground and work on each figure individually, blocking in basic shapes and colours and then working each figure with finer and finer detail until it is done. Then I sign it and ship it off.
Easy, right?
AP:  Are you certain you’re not a wendigo? That sounded like a wendigo answer. I’ve heard they’re tricky…
MDJ: Okay, I’m sorry I called my sister-in-law (my EX sister-in-law) a wendigo. She’s not really a Wendigo. A Wendigo eats people. My sister-in-law only ate Snickers bars.
AP:  Black and white or full color? What’s your preference in regards to your own work?
MDJ: I love working in colour. I started with a somewhat limited colour palette but I have recently opened up and begun producing more colourful images. Just right now I’m working in black-and-white which can sometimes be unforgiving. It certainly makes you appreciate the colour when you are forced to work without it.
AP: How’d you get your start? What’s your origin story? Bitten by an artistically inclined spider? Bathed in the fumes of a paint factory? Are you a mutant? Possibly a mutant wendigo?
MDJ: I might be a mutant. I do have freakishly abundant body hair. I’m not a Wendigo. I don’t eat people. I prefer cookies.
I have been drawing for as long as I have been able to hold a pencil. My mother was a landscape painter. I preferred pencils and pen-and-ink for the longest time. I dabbled with oils and water colours but couldn’t find a way to make them medium really sing until I discovered digital painting. My mind was blown and there was no going back. Digitally I could do all the things I wanted to do with brushes but just couldn’t.
Aside from that there is no magic or mutant powers — I just do it as best I can and then try to do it better next time.
AP: Which piece of work of yours has been your favorite? Least favorite?
MDJ: Like most artists my favourite piece is usually “the next one”, but I do have a few pieces that I have a vertain fondness for. IN THE SWAMP is one of my favorites. I like the look in the swamp monster’s eyes. I also love a piece called MARRIED TO THE WIND because I did that for my wife. I have a piece I called GENERIC WESTERN COVER in which I tried to emulate James Bama’s style, which I think I sort of captured. I also have a piece simply called SPACE which encompasses a lot of what I love about classic space opera illustration. Oh yeah, I also did the cover art for a book called DRACULA LIVES! That one turned out alright.
I would prefer not to talk about my least favourite works. If I hadn’t had the temerity to accept money for them and if they weren’t despoiling the covers of some otherwise fine books and magazines, they would have been dumped down the bit-bin never to be seen again.
AP: I understand you also do a bit of writing on the side…give us the lowdown.
MDJ: I don’t write all that much. Jack Mackenzie, on the other hand, he writes a lot of pulpy, fast-paced, action-y stories and he’s been published in Encounters Magazine, Neo-Opsis Magazine, Dark Worlds Magazine and in the anthologies SWORDS OF FIRE and SAILS AND SORCERY among others. Mind you, he’s a fairly unpleasant character. He is boorish and insulting and he smells. He says he is bad tempered because he’s written four novels and none of them have been published yet.
I think it’s just because he’s a bastard.
AP: Where can we find you on the wide, wild interwebs?
MDJ: I have three main online galleries:
Visit them at your peril!
AP: Consider this last bit your designated shilling space. Snake-oil it up and tell us where we can give you money…
MDJ:If you give me money I will make you a nice picture. I’ll do a neato cover for your book or magazine or website, I’ll do a portrait of your favourite child/parent/great aunt/kitty cat — I’ll do anything except for a Velvet Elvis or dogs playing cards. There’s already too many of those in the world.
Contact me at one of my galleries and we can negotiate.

Fortier takes on Koontz’s FRANKENSTEIN-LOST SOULS!

ALL PULP Reviews by Ron Fortier
FRANKENSTEIN – Lost Souls
By Dean Koontz
Bantaam Books
381 pages
Released Jan 2011
ISBN 10 – 0553593676
ISBN 13 – 978-0553593679
About the author –
Dean R. Koontz is the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers.  He lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Anna, and the enduring spirit of their golden, Trixie.
Review –
Horror fantasist, Dean Koontz continues his best selling series about the never ending war between Mary Shelly’s mad scientist Victor Frankenstein and his immortal creation, the Monster; now known in these books as Deucalion.  This is the fourth book in the saga and the beginning of a brand new story arc.  In the opening trilogy, which took place in New Orleans, the four hundred year old obsessed genius set about creating an army of super clones who would ultimately replace imperfect humans as the new dominant species on Earth. 
He was foiled by Deucalion and two brave police detectives, Carson O’Connor and Michael Maddison.  By the third book’s climax, they believed he had been killed and the world saved.  What they were not aware of was Frankenstein had cloned himself and this doppelganger came to life upon the death of the original.
“Lost Souls” opens two years later after the first conflict to find Carson and Michael have married, moved to San Francisco, opened a private detective agency and had a child, a beautiful baby girl named Scout.  For the most part their lives couldn’t be any happier.  This is why Deucalion’s reappearance bodes ill tides.  He has learned that his creator is still alive and hiding in the small town of Rainbow Falls, Montana.  What the patchwork  warrior does not know is that his cloned nemesis is completely insane and unlike his predecessor, has but one goal, the total annihilation of all mankind, both originals and replicants.  He dreams of Armageddon.
“Frankenstein – Lost Souls” is Koontz’ most audacious pulp novel to date.  It is a bold, raucous narrative that moves at lightning pacing.  Horror upon horror is visited on the small, peaceful town of Rainbow Falls and Koontz never once spares his readers with his lean and brutal prose.  His fans are going to devour this latest chapter in what has become a truly classic pulp series.  New readers need not have read the first trilogy, although it would add much to their enjoyment of this entry.  And be aware, this is book is only the first part of the story and ends with a suspense laden cliffhanger. Wherein the only real sour note is we now have to wait for several months for part two.  Now that’s torture at its most sophisticated.

RUNEMASTER STUDIOS GOES PULP!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact
Tommy Hancock
PR@Runemasterstudios.com
RUNEMASTER STUDIOS ANNOUNCES RUNEMASTER PULP DIVISION
All-Ages Studios Opens Pulp Fiction Division for Creation of New Pulp Fiction Tales
AUSTIN, TX  – Runemaster Studios, Inc. is pleased to announce the expansion into the world of New Pulp Fiction with the new Runemaster Pulp imprint.

With the Studios’ growing body of non all-ages works, including a long run on PHANTOM by writer Mike Bullock, letterer/writer/graphic designer Josh Aitken and colorist Bob Pedroza, as well as current runs on original pulp hero BLACK BAT by Bullock and Michael Metcalf and New Pulp creation DEATH ANGEL by Bullock and Metcalf, the timing seemed right to open the new arm of the content creation studio.

We realize a lot of people have come to know Runemaster Studios as the place where LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS and TIMOTHY AND THE TRANSGALACTIC TOWEL came to life and we don’t want to mess with that image,” said head Runemaster, Mike Bullock. “So, we thought it best to open a new division dedicated to the creation of New Pulp comics and prose.”

With the launch of Runemaster Pulp, the studio has entered into two new publishing partnerships to enhance the already existing relationships with Moonstone Books, who continues to release new tales of DEATH ANGEL, BLACK BAT, CAPTAIN FUTURE and GLADIATOR under the creative guidance of the Runemasters.

Beginning in 2012, Airship 27 will bring THE RUNEMASTER, a Viking inspired sword and sorcery epic to life in the pages of a full-length novel series authored by Bullock. Forged in the fires of CONAN, BEOWULF and BRAVEHEART, steeped in Norse legendry and baptized in the blood of those who would oppose him comes THE RUNEMASTER.

“Action thriller writer, Mike Bullock has whipped up a rousing fantasy adventure in the grand tradition of Robert E. Howard,” declared Airship 27 EiC Ron Fortier. “It sweeps across the frozen wastes with a new hero sure to capture the imagination of fans everywhere.”

Next up Pro Se Productions will usher in TOTEM, a New Pulp hero with an ancient past and supernatural burdens. Written by Bullock with cover art by Manny Trembley, TOTEM is a New Pulp hero for a New Pulp age. Two Men, Grandfather and Grandson forever linked by a supernatural totem of power that unites them in one body as the Guardian against the Forces of Darkness. TOTEM will join THE ROOK, YESTERYEAR and other original New Pulp tales at Pro Se.

“With TOTEM, Mike Bullock brings his excellent writing ability as well as a concept full of action and adventure to the New Pulp movement and raises the bar for the rest of us. A very good thing indeed,” states Pro Se Editor in Chief Tommy Hancock.

Readers are urged to check out www.pulp.runemasterstudios.com for frequent updates.


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Discover the worlds of New Pulp Fiction at www.newpulpfiction.com
More information regarding Death Angel, The Runemaster, Totem, Union, Mike Bullock, Michael Metcalf, Josh Aitken and Bob Pedroza, Runemaster Pulp, its members, services, properties and other projects can be found at www.pulp.runemasterstudios.com.
More information on Moonstone Books, Black Bat, Captain Future and Gladiator and the rest of the Return of the Originals pulp line can be found at www.moonstonebooks.com
More information on Airship 27, The Runemaster, Ron Fortier and the rest of its properties and other projects can be found at www.airship27.com
More information on Pro Se Productions, Totem, The Rook, Yesteryear and the rest of its properties and other projects can be found at www.proseproductions.com

MOONSTONE MONDAY-BULLOCK ANNOUNCES ORIGINAL NOVEL

MIKE BULLOCK-NEW PULP AUTHOR/CREATOR
AP:  Mike, Welcome once more to ALL PULP.  Catch us up on what you’ve been doing since the last time you sat in the interview chair.
Mike Bullock: Hi, thanks for having me back. Let’s see, since last time we met I’ve pitched four New Pulp ideas and I can thank God that all four have been accepted by the publishers I pitched ‘em too. That ‘depths of the gut’ feeling I get when waiting for a publisher to reply to a pitch really sucks… even more so when they don’t come back with a “yes”. One pitch I was even able to blow wide open and turn it into four new books, by yours truly and three other writers far more talented than myself, that will pit some enduring pulp heroes against some equally enduring monsters in this Octobers RETURN OF THE MONSTERS from Moonstone Books. I’ve also plotted out four short stories for my original New Pulp character Totem’s new anthology coming in 2012 from Pro Se and written the first five thousand-ish words for my first full-length novel, coming in 2012 from Airship 27 featuring my original New Pulp hero Runemaster. Somewhere in all that, I’ve proofed the first Black Bat graphic novel (yes, it’s the first of many to come, never fear!), worked on my all-ages series Lions, Tigers and Bears and a few other comic projects I have going. Somewhere in all that, I’ve found time to hang with my beautiful wife and awesome son as we prepare to move cross country once again in June.
AP:  You have a very special project coming up for Moonstone that deals with one of your original characters.  What is that?
MB: One of the aforementioned pitches was for the first ever full-length Death Angel novel, coming in the new Moonstone Books New Pulp novel line. I plotted out the story a few weeks back and just ironed out the agreement with Moonstone last week. Hopefully, this time next year, I’ll have three prose books featuring Runemaster, Totem and Death Angel sitting on my bookshelf… and hopefully on your bookshelf, too.
AP:  For readers who don’t know, can you share some background on Death Angel, who she is, what inspired you, the whole kit and caboodle?
MB: Death Angel is my take on the dark vigilante type, with a twist. Years ago I developed a slightly different character I’d dubbed Revenant. He was pretty much just a vehicle for me to tell stories I would rather tell while writing Moon Knight comics, I’m ashamed to admit. Sadly, doing that meant Revenant wasn’t really fully-fleshed out as his own man, so to speak. I worked with an artist to try to pitch some Revenant comics, but it just didn’t work out. I shelved the character for a bit, then brought him back to insert into a team of heroes I was commissioned to develop for an upstart comic publisher in 2005 that never got off the ground. Once again, Revenant was put back on the shelf.
Then, when I’d convinced Moonstone to roll with the pulp stuff, I revisited Revenant, scrapped just about everything I’d developed about him except the mask, belt and cape and reinvented him as Death Angel. However, Death Angel was anything but a Moon Knight clone, as I found myself in one of those writing modes where I could barely type fast enough to keep up with all the ideas for the character that sprang up from a show I watched on science fiction technology and some recent world news I’d read. I gave DA a suit that enhanced strength, based on technology first dreamed up in the 1940s and finally proven to work in the early years of the 21st century. Then, I spent some time studying photon and aural pulse effects and how they could create hypnotic states in living things – another “fringe science” thing brought up by a sci-fi writer in the early 20th century and proven to work at the end of the millennia.
Once I had all that worked out, Rebekah Killian came to life, battered soul and all. Revenant had gone from a two-dimensional guy beating up goons in a dark alley to a fully fleshed out female bringer of vengeance striking terror into the entire underworld.
Death Angel debuted in the back of Phantom: KGB Noir #1 and the fan response was overwhelming. The amount of comments I received stating people wanted more of Death Angel actually outweighed the amount of feedback I received for the Phantom part of that issue, which blew me away.
That’s when Moonstone agreed to let Death Angel be the flip-side of the Black Bat coin in the Return of the Originals books. I wrote a five-part story, the first four parts from each hero’s point of view and the fifth, the story’s climax, would bring the two together. The first three chapters in that saga appear in the Black Bat graphic novel #1 with the remaining chapters coming in #2.
But, all that is just a build-up to putting Death Angel in a spotlight all her own, which is the goal of the new novel.
AP:  Death Angel has graced the pages of both comics as well as some text/image based widevision fiction, but what made you want to bring her to life in a novel?  What about that medium compliments the character and her story?
MB: Well, the New Pulp movement has really excited me. I’ve been reading pulps since I was an adolescent and that style of story-telling has always cranked up my adrenaline levels. Several people I know, most notably my lovely wife, have been pushing me for years to concentrate more on writing prose than comics. The people who know me best think I’m better suited to write prose than comics, so the thought has intrigued me. I dabbled in prose with a handful of Phantom stories, then I did the wide-vision tales for the Pulp Fiction magazine starring Black Bat, Captain Future and Death Angel. It seemed a natural progression from there to start doing novels. I’ve ghost written a few so far and I really wanted to sit down, now that I have the confidence I can do it, and write my own characters in my own stories. I’m feeling really honored that Airship 27, Pro Se and Moonstone all have the confidence in my ability to let me write these tales, too.
AP:  Does the fact that Death Angel is a female underneath all the costume and weapons change how you approach writing her?
MB: Absolutely. I mean, anyone who writes a female character the same way they write a male character shouldn’t be writing. Rebekah Killian is a tough woman, but underneath the wings, fangs and claws of Death Angel is a battered young girl who drives all of Angel’s decisions and actions. She is at once a mother tigress, defending her young and an intelligent woman seeking to make the world a safer place for those she cares about. Unfortunately (for the bad guys at least), somewhere in there is a little mental instability brought on by years of child abuse.


AP:  You’re obviously a writer and creator influenced by the whole ‘Pulp’ style.  What aspects of that style have had the most impact on you, maybe favorite authors and/or characters from the classic days of Pulp?
MB: I’m an adrenalin junkie. Period. Always have been. Princess of Mars from Edgar Rice Burroughs, all the Conan tales from Robert E. Howard, the original Phantom, Black Bat and Captain Future stories and all the rest are all adrenalin charged story-telling at its best. A roller coaster never lets up until the ride is over and the same can be said for just about every pulp tale I’ve ever read. Once I hit the words “The End” I’m a little worn out, but in a good way. If a story can actually make me feel a little physical exhaustion when I’m finished with it, then it sticks with me. A well written pulp scene leaves me with clenched shoulder muscles and a quickened pulse. Those are the kinds of stories I aspire to write, the kind that make the reader respond on levels much deeper than surface consciousness. I realize I still have a really long way to go before I can write something at the elevation of the John Carter or Black Bat or Conan tales, but I’m having fun trying.
AP:  Noting the influences of classic Pulp on you, You’re also one of the movers and shakers behind what has recently become termed The New Pulp Movement.   What, in your view, does that term actually mean and why are you throwing your hat into the movement concept?
MB: For me, New Pulp is just modern day talent creating stories with the same adrenalin-charged story telling that the original pulps exuded. I feel honored to be named alongside guys like Ron Fortier, Barry Reese, Scott Eckert, Martin Powell and so many other extremely talented minds and that feeling brings with it a sense of responsibility to hold up my end. So, it only seems like the right thing to do to toss my hat full in and do whatever I can to push this thing up the hill. I’ve always been an all or nothing kinda guy, and pulp has been “all-in” in me since I was watching black and white Flash Gordon serials on Saturday afternoon when I was five. It’s just who I am…
AP:  Some may have concern that New Pulp’s intent is to change the basic structure and classic ways Pulp is written.  It’s been made clear by others that that isn’t the case at all.  What is your thought on this and if not change, what does New Pulp bring to the table that can’t be found in reprints of old pulp magazines?
MB: To me, if what’s created veers from the basic structure, it’s no longer pulp. I mean, if I write a heavily character development laden romance story that has zero action and takes place entirely within the confines of a bedroom, then I call it New Pulp, I’m only fooling myself. I can’t create something that’s not pulp and make it pulp anymore than I can write a horror story and call it a comedy. It just won’t happen and I’ll look delusional when I’m done. That being said, if men like Burroughs, Doc Smith and Howard never wrote anything, instead satisfying themselves with re-reading The Curse of Capistrano forever, we wouldn’t have John Carter and Conan. The same can be said for authors from Lester Dent and Edmond Hamilton to Barry Reese and Van Allen Pelixco. I love the old stuff, but there’s only so many times I can ride the same ride before I know it so well it loses a little luster and I start wanting to take a new ride. But, that new ride has to thrill me the same way the old one did, or it just isn’t worth it.
AP:  You are a very religious man.  How, if at all, do your beliefs influence your creative process and most notably, how did your religious convictions influence your creation of Death Angel?
MB: I’m not religious at all. Religion is a set of rules and edicts created by men to control one another. I do, however, firmly believe in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and God Almighty. I have a personal relationship with them that no amount of rules and regulations can equal. One thing that boils my blood is supposed religious people doing acts of evil under the guise of religion, as we’ve seen in growing frequency lately, most notably the number of priests found guilty of child abuse. To me, that’s a whole new form of evil that’s not just plain wrong, but duplicitous and deceitful, bringing harm to far more than just the immediate victims and their families. When religion goes wrong, bad things happen every time without fail.
Death Angel is a product of religion gone wrong. A young girl raised in a religious orphanage, under the auspices of being protected by pious men and women who actually took advantage of the children in every way imaginable, and some unimaginable. The disconnect between Rebekah’s spiritual belief and her childhood experiences is what birthed Death Angel. While the character in no way is meant as a vehicle to voice socio-political views, those views do shape who she is and where she’s going.


AP:  What does the future hold for Mike Bullock? More than one Death Angel novel?  Anything else?
MB: Well, Eric Johns is already turning in some pretty sweet pages for the RETURN OF THE MONSTERS tale starring Black Bat and Death Angel versus Dracula entitled ANGELS AND THE UNDEAD. I’m also working on the Runemaster novel, a new comic book series that should be announced real soon with Fernando “KGB Noir” Peniche doing the line art and three novels at once. I found out the other day that Doug Klauba will be painting the cover for the Death Angel novel, which really excites me as not only am I huge fan of Doug’s work, but I consider him to be one of my indispensably great friends. Going forward, I have a handful of other New Pulp and comic works coming including a Black Bat/Spider crossover from Moonstone I just finished up last week. Next month brings the release of Black Bat graphic novel #1 and Lions, Tigers and Bears volume III. Oh, and in all that I’m also penning a Black Bat novel for Moonstone that I don’t think has been announced yet, so there’s the All Pulp exclusive for the day. And, I’m also in talks to take the writing lead on an massive story created by a popular musician that can only be described as utterly epic in scale. Look for news on that in July.
AP: Mike, it’s been a pleasure as always!
MB: Right back atcha!

MOONSTONE MONDAY-WHAT’S COMIN’ IN SEPTEMBER!!!

MOONSTONE SEPT ’11 RELEASES
Moonstone Pulp Fiction Magazine #1
Story: CJ Henderson, Mike Bullock
Art: misc
Cover: Doug Klauba
96pgs, grayscale, 8” x 11.5”, $7.99
A “Return of the Originals” MEGA event!
New comic and prose stories, of classic pulp characters like The Spider, The Black Bat, The Phantom Detective, Secret Agent X, G8, and so many more!
*Plus a special new crime fiction prose story of the Green Hornet only available here!
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Airboy/G8 Limited Edition HC
Story: Chuck Dixon
Art: Ken Hooper
Cover: Tom Grindberg
50pgs, grayscale, 7” x 10”, HC $14.99
ISBN: 978-1-936814-11-4
Join us for this very special “Return of the Originals” event!
A once in a lifetime aerial extravaganza!
Two high-flying ace legends meet for the very first time in a brand new all out adventure by action-master Chuck Dixon!
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Savage Beauty- limited Edition HC
Story: Mike Bullock
Art: Jose Massaroli
Colors: Bob Pedroza
Cover: Paul Gulacy
70pgs, color, 7” x 10”, $29.99
ISBN: 978-1-936814-09-1
Collecting issue #1 and the never-before-published issues #2 and #3!
Ripped from today’s world news comes a re-imagining of the classic jungle girl genre debuting a new hero for the modern age!
Join the Rae sisters, recent UCLA grads, as they travel across modern-day Africa finding their place and making a difference. Guided by the mysterious Mr. Eden, they assume the identity of a mythical goddess and reveal their Savage Beauty.
     Mike (The Phantom) Bullock presents a fresh new spin on the genre, featuring real-world conflicts in Africa and beyond.
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Buckaroo BANZAI #2
Story: Earl Mac Rauch/Paul D. Storrie
Art: David Daza
Colors: Patrick Williams
Covers: Malcolm McClinton, Kyle Henry
32pgs, color, $3.99
Rated: PG-13
The man, the marvel, the human achievement, is back!
From the cult movie starring Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, and Jeff Goldblum!
The creators/film makers are telling NEW stories!
Your favorite neurosurgeon/rock star/adventurer returns, along with his Hong Kong Cavaliers, in: TEARS of a CLONE!…where a Death’s Head tank squad lurks in suburbia, talking bouncer-robots attack, expensive love wants to erupt, and Lectroids run with scissors, and then… shotguns! The world may never be the same.
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The Spider: Satan’s Seven Swordsmen GN
Story: Norvell W. Page
Art: Gary Carbon
80pgs, 7” x 10”, grayscale, $9.95
ISBN: 978-1-936814-10-7
A Wide-Vision Graphic Novel!
The Spider—cloaked, fanged nightmare in black— delivers swift justice with a pair of .45 automatics! Set against a world at war, this epic adventure is laced with great over-the-top action foreshadowing James Bond!
The Spider battles the sinister Dr. Fuji and his deadly ring of assassins spearheading a large-scale terror attack on  America! 
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The Spider #3/4
Story: Martin Powell, Gary Phillips
Art: Hannibal King, Jay Piscopo
Cover: Dan Brereton
56pgs, grayscale, $5.99
The never-offered issue #3 and #4 together in one brand new book!
The Spider faces a monstrous flesh-eating evil that attacks invisibly from the
filthy shadows, leaving doomed New York City in a panic-stricken state of
hysteria and gruesome sudden death. None are immune to the plague of the
Creeping Hell, not even
Nita Van Sloan, the Spider’s beloved.
PLUS: more Operator5
DOC SAVAGE: Python Isle – Unabridged Audiobook
Written by Will Murray, based on a concept by Lester Dent Narrated by Michael McConnohie Produced and Directed by Roger Rittner Cover Art by Joe DeVito
8 CD’s, $25.98
ISBN: 9781610814010
The greatest pulp fiction hero of the 1930s returns in the first of a new series of audiobooks! Doc Savage, the legendary Man of Bronze, captivated adventure readers of the 1930s and 1940s in his own pulp magazine and in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s in the million-selling paperback series for Bantam Books. In 1990, Will Murray, heir apparent to Doc Savage originator Lester Dent, revived the famous Street & Smith superhero in a new series of exploits based on Dent’s unfinished works. Writing as Kenneth Robeson, Murray brought Doc Savage back with “Python Isle”, a dramatic account of a long-lost pioneer flyer who returns to civilization with an exotic woman who speaks a lost tongue. From his towering skyscraper headquarters in New York, through a dangerous Zeppelin journey to Cape Town, climaxing on a serpent-haunted island in the forbidden reaches of the Indian Ocean, Doc and his iron comrades race to untangle a weird puzzle so deep the only clues can be found in the Bible!
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RES: Honey West #5
Story: Elaine Lee
Art: Ronn Sutton
Colors: Ken Wolak
Covers: Marat Mychaels
32pgs, color, $3.99
The ALL NEW adventures of the first female private eye continue!
Join Vertigo’s (“Vamps”) writer Elaine Lee for the conclusion of “Murder on Mars” as Honey goes undercover on the set of the sci-fi film Amazons of Mars to investigate the mysterious death of Zu Zu Varga, queen of the B-movies. It looks like murder, but who had motive? Was it the scheming ingénue, the down-on-his luck director, the jealous agent, or the ageing teen heartthrob? Robots, aliens and murder in 1960s CA!
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RES: KOLCHAK: the Night Stalker Files #3
Story: Chris Mills
Art: Jaime Martinez
Cover: Woodrow Hinton III
32pgs, grayscale, $3.50
New format! Cheaper price!
Deep in the heart of the wild Everglades, a bloodthirsty swamp beast is on
the hunt for human prey. But, when reporter Carl Kolchak sets out with a
U.S. Marshall to find the creature, he learns – the hard way – that not all
monsters are what they seem to be.
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RES: Airboy Presents: AIR VIXENS#1
Written by Mike Bullock
Art: Ben Hansen
Colors by: Bob Pedroza
Cover A : Ben Hansen
Cover B, C :Franchesco!
32pgs,grayscale, $3.50
More story pages than ever before!…new format, cheaper price!
From the pages of Air Fighters comes the first issue of Air Vixens starring Black Angel, Bald Eagle and Valkyrie.
     When Der Furher sent Valkyrie to smuggle secret weapons and intelligence across Europe in a zeppelin, he didn’t expect Black Angel and Bald Eagle to crash the party, and neither did they.
     Tune in for the first issue featuring the high flying femme fatales of the Air Fighters in this oversized, bombastic first issue!

GLORY AND GHOST GOODNESS THIS WEEK!!!

From Kevin Paul Shaw Broden-

FLYING GLORY AND THE HOUNDS OF GLORY

“I would show them what I could do…” 
Get a sense of who this new menace is and why he sees Flying Glory as a constant threat in the latest page of “Generational Glory’ now available at: http://www.flying-glory.com
REVENGE OF THE MASKED GHOST
“But you’re dead.”
“Ya, I know.”
The Masked Ghost has been captured, so what is this mysterious conversation? Find out in “Ghost for a Ghost” Chapter 21 of REVENGE OF THE MASKED GHOST at: http://revengeofthemaskedghost.blogspot.com/

DOMINO LADY SPEAKS-COMING SOON!

For the first time ever on audio…The AudioComics Company presents THE DOMINO LADY

The AudioComics Company is proud to present the second characters in their original pulp audio project will be THE pulp vixen of the 1930′s, the scourge of LA herself, The Domino Lady!

First introduced by Lars Anderson in Saucy Romantic Adventures and Mystery Adventures, The Domino Lady is the alter-ego of Ellen Patrick, a wealthy UC Berkeley graduate out to avenge the murder of her father, District Attorney Owen Patrick, in the Raymond Chandler-esque Southern California of 1935. While she brandished a .45 and syringe of knockout serum, her greatest weapon was her sexuality, which she would use to disarm her unsuspecting opponents. Routinely stealing from her targets, she donates most of the profits to charity after deducting her cut, leaving a calling card with the words “Compliments of the Domino Lady” behind.

DL appeared specifically in “spicy pulp” magazines, pulps that typically featured semi-pornographic short stories. Such magazines had smaller print runs (and were as a result a few cents higher in price) and were usually sold “under the counter” upon request. Only a handful of Domino Lady were published, all of which were collected in Bold Venture Press’ Compliments of the Domino Lady, featuring a cover from the one and only Jim Steranko. In addition, Moonstone Books has published a new series of Domino Lady comics and prose stories. The AudioComics Company’s world-premiere productions will mark the first time that the alter-ego of Ellen Patrick has ever appeared in an audio format.

Portraying the Domino Lady will be San Francisco Bay Area actress and filmmaker Karen Stilwell, who has a unique tie to AudioComics; take a read of her bio…
Karen Stilwell began acting in San Francisco at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco as a teen. After winning a National Theater award for best ensemble work in regional theater (playing a maid in one of Tennessee Williams last plays called This is (an Entertainment)), she was propelled to continue acting after meeting Williams and Michael York and choosing, with the help of “A Chorus Line” summer touring cast members, to go to the Big Apple just after High School at age 17. Within a year she had joined both the Screen Actors Guild and The American Federation ofTelevision and Radio Artists recording voice overs, commercials, under five roles on soap operas like All My Children and The Guiding Light with some small parts in the films Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession and C.O D.

She became a core member of a theater company called Wild Hair Productions consisting of mainly fellow actors who had met in class and enjoyed writing and acting together in their own plays. The biggest hit to come from the troupe was Starstruck with Karen playing the original Erotica Ann 333, an android built for sex but re programmed to be the maintenance officer on the GOOD ship Harpy.

After several more years of off B’way work, more under five roles on soaps, and a few more national commercials, Karen did some stand in work for the lead ladies in Love Sick (staring Dudley Moore), was taken by the ensemble feeling the film crew had, and decided to get behind the camera herself taking off to film school in San Francisco. Soon Karen was making documentaries and shorts while raising her daughter Jenna. Two of her documentaries made it into the Library of Congress: The Real Jean Roe and Tear Gas Filled the Sky staring longshoreman, activist, writer & actor Bill Bailey. Acting picked up in San Francisco again in the 1990s with parts on television shows shooting in SF, not to mention many industrial films and commercials.

During the 2000’s Karen mainly worked in video post production with some corporate producing jobs and only acted when friends called upon her to jump in on low budget films and such. It wasn’t until reconnecting with Elaine Lee, her old acting troupe buddy, at the revived staged reading of Starstruck in Big Sur (which of course became The AudioComics Company’s debut audio play) that she finds herself ready to get in the nightgown and mask…behind the microphone that is…and play The Domino Lady.

The first Domino Lady project will be a three-part serial authored by one of the country’s leading DL historians, Rich Harvey, with the first part, “All’s Fair in War,” recording this fall in San Francisco, alongside AudioComics’ first two Green Lama audio adventures. The name Rich Harvey is synonymous with pulp stories and pulp history in the United States; a New Jersey-based graphic designer, writer, and publisher, his Bold Venture Press imprint specializes in reprints of classic pulp fiction, among  them Pulp Adventures magazine and Compliments of the Domino Lady, the reprint collection that thrust the Domino Lady back into the pulp limelight. He also sponsors an annual gathering of pulp enthusiasts, the Pulp Adventurecon, in New Jersey. Rich cites Dashiell Hammett as his favorite author and biggest influence, and next on the list is Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir’s The Destroyer series. www.boldventurepress.com is the handle!

“A warm west coast evening — a glamorous city bathed in silvery moonlight — a criminal element walking arm-in-arm with high society — and a masked woman who challenges their power the DOMINO LADY.”

ALL PULP REVIEWS-FORTIER TAKES ON ‘GHOSTS OF WAR’!

GHOSTS OF WAR
By George Mann
Pyr Books
231 pages
Available July 2011
Hot on the heels of earning a Pulp Factory Award nomination for Best Pulp Novel of 2010 for GHOST OF MANHATTAN, writer George Mann unleashes the second novel in this steampunk series.  Although considering the archetype pulp trappings these books are totally saturated with, one would suggest labeling them steampulp.
This new adventure of Gabriel Cross, the haunted veteran of World War One who protects New York City as the rocket-boot propelled, black garbed vigilante known as the Ghost, begins only a few weeks after the end of his last, horrific case.  He is still emotionally wounded having witnessed his lover, Celeste, sacrifice herself to save mankind from outer-dimensional monsters.
When a new threat to his city arises, he gratefully dons his Ghost garb and goes into action.  Weird hybrid mechanical flying creatures called Raptors are swooping out of the night sky and randomly kidnapping people with no apparent pattern or purpose other than to cause city wide terror.  The Ghost sets about catching one of these horrible monstrosities with the help of his friend, Inspector Felix Donovan, who shares his secret identity. 
At the same time, Donovan is given the task of hunting down a British spy by his superiors.  He is told the secret agent is a catalyst with information that will ignite a war between England and America.  When elements from both assignments suddenly come together, the Ghost and Donovan begin to suspect a much darker plot with tendrils leading to corruption among the highest ranks of City Hall.  In the end the Ghost allows himself to be captured by the raptors and taken to their hidden lair.  It is his one chance to uncover the evil mastermind behind the attacks and discover the true horror that awaits all mankind unless he and his small band of allies can save the day.
Hideous creatures from another dimension, a mad scientist more machine than man, an armed, massive airship on a mission of doom and more thrill-a-minute action than any other ten, oversized thrillers on the market today.  GHOSTS OF WAR is even better then its predecessor as Mann is truly warming up to this alternate world and his remarkable, colorful and appealing cast of characters that populate it.  This is new pulp fiction at its finest and I’m predicting there’s another Pulp Factory Award nod in its future.  Long live the Ghost!