With the announcement of Lance Star: Sky Ranger joining the iPulp Fiction Library, we wanted to introduce readers to some of the Honorary Sky Rangers involved with making these stories happen. Next up is Lance Star: Sky Ranger Author Bobby Nash.
LSSR: Tell us a little about yourself and where readers can find out more about you and your work?
One Shot! Art by James Burns
BN: I’m a writer of novels, comic books, novellas, short stories, graphic novels, and the occasional screenplay. My novels include Evil Ways and Fantastix. My comic book work includes Fuzzy Bunnies From Hell, Demonslayer, Lance Star: Sky Ranger “One Shot”, and the upcoming Domino Lady vs. Mummy. My short prose includes A Fistful of Legends, Full Throttle Space Tales Vol. 2: Space Sirens, and the upcoming Green Hornet Case Files and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. My novellas include Lance Star: Sky Ranger, Ravenwood: Stepson of Mystery, Domino Lady; plus the upcoming Secret Agent X and The Avenger titles. My graphic novels include Yin Yang; I Am Googol: The Great Invasion, and Fantastix. You can see a full list of credits on my website, www.bobbynash.com. I also regularly post at www.lance-star.com, www.facebook.com/bobbyenash, and www.twitter.com/bobbynash.
LSSR: How did you become involved with the Lance Star: Sky Ranger series?
Space Ranger Art By Jeff Austin
BN: It’s all Ron Fortier’s fault. Ron my table neighbor at the 2005 Dragon Con convention in Atlanta in 2005. At least I think that’s the right year. The cons start to run together after awhile. Anyway, Ron and I had corresponded via message boards and email before, but this was the first time we’d met in person. Ron picked up my novel, Evil Ways, and reviewed it at his Pulp Fiction Reviews site. When he started up what eventually became Airship 27, he invited me to work on an anthology featuring a pulp aviator hero. That book became Lance Star: Sky Ranger. The rest, as they say, is history.
LSSR: Who is Lance Star? What makes pulp characters like Lance and the Sky Rangers appeal to you as a writer and a reader?
Lance Star Vol. 2 Cover by Shane Evans
BN: Lance Star embodies the best aspects of a pulp hero. He’s smart, inventive, courageous, fearless, and not afraid to do what’s necessary to stop the bad guys. Lance is also a nice guy. You want to be his friend, and if you are his friend you know he’s got your back. He’s a little bit John Wayne, a little bit Jimmy Stewart, and a little bit Indiana Jones. As a writer and reader, that’s a lot of fun.
LSSR: Digital content has changed the publishing landscape. As a creator, what excites you about digital content? As a reader?
BN: The digital frontier is an exciting undiscovered country for me. I’ve not read many eBooks, but that’s mainly because I spend all day writing and doing edits on computer so when I read for enjoyment it’s to get away from the computer. I like the idea of electronic books. Imagine the possibilities when you can have your entire library at your fingertips wherever you are. That’s pretty amazing.
The Adventure Continues…
As a writer, I think that eBooks, because of their easy access and generally lower prices, make it easier for readers to try something new. Someone who has never read my work may be more willing to give it a try for $1 as opposed to buying an entire novel or anthology. Digital content helps make that happen.
LSSR: Your Lance Star: Sky Ranger story, “Where The Sea Meets The Sky” is currently available in print and as an eBook from Airship 27, and is soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction. What can you tell us about this story? (plug it, tease it)
Where The Sea Meets The Sky. Cover art: Rich Woodall
BN: “Where The Sea Meets The Sky” was the first pulp story I ever wrote and I am quite proud of it. Lance Star flies his newest creation, a specialized seaplane called “The Nessie” to Hawaii where he intends to present it to the US Navy. Lance looked on this trip as a working vacation. The last thing he expected to find waiting for him was a sunken treasure, pirates, mobsters, and a rival pilot with a massive chip on his shoulder. If Lance isn’t careful, this adventure could be his last.
From the back cover of the anthology: Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, off the shores of Tropical Hawaii, a hidden treasure has been discovered. Now a band of sky pirates is out to steal it no matter how many innocent lives must be sacrificed in the process. Only Lance Star and the Sky Rangers can end their bloody assault.
LSSR: Airship 27 currently has two Lance Star: Sky Ranger anthologies in print and available as eBooks with several of those stories soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction as well as a Lance Star comic book. What’s next for these pulp heroes?
Still flying high…
BN: Volume 3 of the pulp anthology series from Airship 27 is in the works now. All four stories are in and the artist is currently busy working on the interior illustrations. Volume 3 features Lance Star: Sky Ranger stories from Bernadette Johnson, Sean Taylor, Van Allen Plexico, and myself. Interior art is by Shannon Hall. I’ll wait on the cover artist until the publisher announces it first.
In addition to volume 3, there are more comic book stories in the works, as well as some digital comic book offerings as well. Plus, the Lance Star: Sky Ranger novel, “Cold Snap!” is in production. I’ve had to set it aside for some other work, but it will be completed in 2011 to come out in 2012.
GH Cover Art: Reuben Procopio
LSSR: Any upcoming projects you would like to plug?
BN: July will see the release of two anthologies featuring stories by me. The Green Hornet Casefiles and Tales From The Zero Hour Vol. 4: Weird Tales. There are several other anthology tales in production, but I don’t know release dates as yet. On the comic book side of things, I wrote a Secret Agent X story (with Jeremy McHugh on art) for All-Star Pulp Comics, a one-shot comic anthology that should be out sometime this year. In October, Domino Lady Vs. Mummy will be out from Moonstone. Co-written by Nancy Holder and myself, this one-shot story is part of Moonstone’s Return Of The Monsters Halloween event and features gorgeous art by Rock Baker and Jeff Austin. Keep checking in at www.bobbynash.com for more information and release dates.
ZH Cover Art: Dirk Shearer
LSSR: Thanks, Bobby.
#####
Release schedule for Lance Star: Sky Ranger tales on iPulp: 06/17: Lance Star: Sky Ranger – Vol.1 #1: Attack of the Bird Man by Frank Dirsherl (now available) 07/07: Lance Star: Sky Ranger – Vol.1 #2: Where the Sea Meets the Sky by Bobby Nash 07/27: Lance Star: Sky Ranger – Vol.1 #3: Talons of the Red Condors by Bill Spangler
With the announcement of Lance Star: Sky Ranger joining the iPulp Fiction Library, ALL PULP wanted to introduce readers to some of the Honorary Sky Rangers involved with making these stories happen. Next up is Lance star: Sky Ranger Art Director and Designer, Rob Davis.
AP: Tell us a little about yourself and where readers can find out more about you, your work, and Airship 27 Productions?
RD: I’ve been a freelance artist since 1986 working on such diverse projects as a Saturday morning cartoon adaptation for Marvel to Star Trek books for DC and Malibu Comics. Presently I’m the art director/designer for Airship 27, which encompasses the actual design and look of each of Airship 27’s books to cover and interior illustrations. I’m also a comics publisher using the Redbud Studio Comics imprint to sell “print on demand” comics through IndyPlanet.com. Yeah, I’m busy!
AP: How did you become involved with the Lance Star: Sky Ranger series?
RD: Through my design work for Airship 27. We have been the publisher of the prose versions of the tales of Lance Star through anthologies and eventually novels featuring the pulp-era air ace.
AP: Who is Lance Star? What makes pulp characters like Lance and the Sky Rangers appeal to you as a creator, a reader, and a publisher?
RD: Lance is another star in the pantheon of pulp heroes in that he has a definite sense of right and wrong and will fight to the end to defend the right. In the pulp age aviators like Lance were like today’s astronauts in that they were envied for their daring flight into the atmosphere. It’s interesting to me to see what the interest was of pulp era readers in these cousins of Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart.
AP: Digital content has changed the publishing landscape. As a creator, what excites you about digital content? As a reader?
RD: As a reader it’s exciting to think about being able to carry my whole library of books with me in my new iPad. As a creator and publisher it excites me that we now have a new, thrilling and inexpensive outlet to get our productions out to the reader. The first few weeks after Airship 27 opened up our Airship27Hangar.com site we had phenomenal response! It’s exciting to put up another new book and see sales within just hours or minutes of the upload.
AP: As you are both a designer and artist, tell us a bit about your process for both the print and digital versions of the Airship 27 stories.
RD: Fortunately, there’s not much difference in the two. Since I have so many irons in the fire I don’t have a lot of time to devote to producing our digital versions. Mostly what I do is add the front and back covers to the interior PDF file that we send to our printing sources, reduce the file size (since digital screens need less resolution than traditional print) and then mark each page with a watermark to keep our books safe from pirating. The whole process takes less than an hour for each book. Add in the design time to create the online catalogue entry and within just a couple of hours we have a version of our latest masterpiece of New Pulp ready for viewing and enjoyment!
AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to plug?
RD: We have a number of different books in the Airship 27 pipeline. Right now my next illustrating gig for Airship 27 is calling to me: Robin Hood: Arrow of Justice written by Ian Watson, a very talented writer from the UK. This is the second of a three-part retelling of the Robin Hood legend and it is rollicking good fun! Ian is very gifted and his version of Robin Hood is a joy to read and illustrate!
AP: Thanks, Rob.
RD: Thanks for having me!
Release schedule for Lance Star: Sky Ranger tales on iPulp:
06/17: Lance Star: Sky Ranger – Vol.1 #1: Attack of the Bird Man by Frank Dirsherl (now available)
07/07: Lance Star: Sky Ranger – Vol.1 #2: Where the Sea Meets the Sky by Bobby Nash
07/27: Lance Star: Sky Ranger – Vol.1 #3: Talons of the Red Condors by Bill Spangler
For more information on iPulp Fiction’s offerings, please visit www.ipulpfiction.com
For more information on Airship 27 Productions’ offerings, please visit www.gopulp.info
For more information on Lance Star: Sky Ranger, please visit www.lance-star.com
Andrew Salmon Secret Agent X iPulp Launch Interview
With the upcoming June 27 release of his Secret Agent X tale, The Icarus Terror, All Pulp sat down with Andrew Salmon to get the skinny on Secret Agent X and the digital revolution.
AP: Tell us a little about yourself and where readers can find out more about you and your work?
AS: All right. I was born in Montreal, Canada but my wife and I now live in Vancouver. I’ve been writing pulp for more than three years now and really feel at home in the genre. I’ve had the great good fortune to have picked up three award nominations for my pulp work in the last couple of years and am still amazed I actually won a Pulp Factory Award for Best Pulp Short Story in ’09 for my contribution to Airship 27’s Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Volume One. Folks interested in my output to date can check out my author page on amazon. It’s got it all. Plus you’ll find almost all of my stuff on Airship 27’s various sites.
AP: How did you become involved with Secret Agent X?
AS: When I first hooked up with Airship 27 I was completely new to the pulp genre having read three or four Shadows and a couple dozen Docs. But I fell in love with the genre immediately and leapt at the chance to try my hand writing it. Well, my inexperience led Airship’s Ron Fortier to assign me a Jim Anthony tale since Anthony was a Doc Savage clone and I’d read more Docs than anything else at that point. So I banged out an Anthony tale and had a ball doing it! So much so that when I was done, I was hungry for more! Around the same time, Airship 27 was re-issuing the titles they had originally published with Wild Cat Books during their brief association and their first Secret Agent X anthology was on deck. Thing was, one of the contributors to that release decided, for whatever reason, to bow out of Airship 27’s re-issue of the book. My Anthony tale had not been released at this point and X was the next book they had on the flight deck. Ron knew I was chomping at the bit to officially become part of what has now become the New Pulp movement and offered me the slot – if I could bang out a Secret Agent X tale quickly. I did . They loved it. And I got the spot! I made my pulp debut with Secret Agent X and have loved the Agent ever since!
AP: Who is Secret Agent X? What makes pulp characters like Secret Agent X appeal to you as a writer and a reader?
AS: X is just a great character! He can be anyone and the fun in writing and reading X tales is to discover where he’s going to turn up next. The mysterious element to the character is what really drew me in. Along with his abilities as a master of disguise, readers are never sure who he really is as his true identity is never revealed. That’s a lot for a pulp writer to play around with and makes X novels and stories a delight to read. X is the Bond of his time and yet has a selfless dedication to duty. He has no time for martinis and fair ladies. He’s got a job to do and he does whatever it takes to get that job done. Also, in a way, he’s the quintessence of what pulp is all about. Very little time is spent on X’s background. Oh, he’s got a regular cast and a love interest, but X tales are all about action, misdirection, gadgets and disguises. Bond meets Mission: Impossible – that’s Secret Agent X!
AP: Digital content has changed the publishing landscape. As a creator, what excites you about digital content? As a reader?
AS: Well, this is the burning question of our time – right across the publishing landscape. The digital world has exploded traditional publishing in a good way. It’s easy to get stuff out there and doing so digitally means you can keep prices down. Everyone is pinching pennies these days and folks are careful about what they spend their money on. People want bang for their buck and tend to stick with content and creators they know to be, in their minds, a sure investment.
However, with digital publishing, readers can now branch out. Whether it be with a tablet, an e-reader or their cell phones thanks to iPulp, content, both good and bad, is now readily available at a great price. Pulp creators and fans have seen the impact the internet has had on creating the New Pulp revolution. Now with the surge in e-readers and the like, it’s not so big a gamble to try something other than whatever is on the Best Seller’s list at any given moment. What once was a $15-$30 roll of the dice can now be had for $3 or even $1 with iPulp. There are a lot of really great writers out there and their voices can now be heard thanks to the digital revolution. Readers can take chances now, branch out and it won’t break the bank. It’s great! I can’t tell you the number of writers I now read regularly that I’d have never heard of if not for the digital explosion. Or, if I’d heard of them, I probably couldn’t afford to take a chance on. No more! Now dabbling is easier than ever and it’s just great to wade into the tidal wave of New Pulp authors and artists. For avid readers, the digital boom is a dream come true!
AP: Your Secret Agent X story, “THE ICARUS TERROR” is currently available in print and as an eBook from Airship 27, and soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction. What can you tell us about this story?
AS: My simple rule for an X tale is to have the thing start pedal to the metal and not let up for a heartbeat. That’s what I did for “The Icarus Terror” and the result is a wild ride. Imagine 1930s New York and an airship festival – airships and blimps hovering over the city, blocking out the sun. Then imagine those ships descending, squeezing between the towering, concrete spires of the city and before anyone can figure out what’s happening, the helium-filled airships begin to explode! How is it being done? Is some evil genius behind it? Is the city being held hostage? Can Secret Agent X get to the bottom of the mystery before more of the airships explode? Talk about bang for your buck! With iPulp offering “The Icarus Terror” for only $1, truer words were never spoken. Edge of your seat thrills await!
AP: Airship 27 currently has three Secret Agent X anthologies in print and available as eBooks with several of those stories soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction. What’s next for these pulp heroes?
AS: I’ve got a Secret Agent X tale in the third Airship anthology and I’m hoping it will one day make its way to iPulp along with the other X tales they’ve done to date. X is made for this format. The stories are fast-paced, action-packed – just the sort of thing to read on the go or during brief breaks or down time on the job. They will get your heart pumping! As for the future of the great pulp heroes, the sky really is the limit. Back in the Golden Age of pulp fiction, the exploits of these great heroes were great escapism from the everyday. Folks in the 1930s craved these kinds of adventures and nothing has really changed. Action movies, books, video games and the like are still as popular as ever. Pulp fiction and the great pulp heroes of yesterday and today can still thrill while providing that much needed escapism we all need from time to time. Getting pulp tales out in all different formats means that readers looking for a white-knuckle thrill ride can access these tales however they prefer. A Mount Everest of pulp thrills was compiled during the heyday of pulp fiction and millions of readers enjoyed the terrific exploits of these timeless characters. Most of that stuff is becoming available for today’s readers. But, more importantly, a sister peak is being compiled of New Pulp tales, characters, exploits with a modern sensibility, currently created by talented writers and artists for today’s readers. It’s all breaking at the same time. Tons of great reading you do not want to miss! Whether you’re an old pulp fan or someone coming to the genre for the first time, you will find something you like. I guarantee it. Get your feet wet digitally if your wallet is a little light. Try an Airship PDF for $3 or an iPulp tale for $1. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you’re in for a real treat! Once you see what a wonderful reading experience one can have with pulp, you can upgrade to printed books to stock your library if you want or fill up the memory on your tablet with as much pulp as it’ll hold. You won’t be sorry.
Andrew Salmon (on left)
AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to plug?
AS: I’m currently working feverishly on a pulp novel featuring German pulp heroes called All-Men: The Shadow-Line. The book, if I can ever get the darn thing finished, is going to be something very different and, I hope, very eye-opening for pulp fans. I’m going out on more limbs than I can keep track of but I’m risking the fall in the hopes of providing readers with a reading experience they’ve not encountered with pulp to date. The novel is taking up almost all of my writing time these days but that doesn’t mean I don’t have other irons in the fire. I’ve contributed an easter-egg laden, hardboiled detective tale for an anthology Airship 27 is putting together featuring a PI named Rick Ruby and that was a lot of fun. I also collaborated with Mark Halegua crafting the first tale with his hero, the Red Badge, which is forthcoming as part of Airship 27’s Mystery Men & Women Volume Two which should be out before the end of the year. There are a lot of other things on the horizon both with Airship 27 and Pro Se that I’m not at liberty to talk about at the moment. Let’s just say that the pulp world hasn’t seen the last of me yet and leave it at that. I’m having a ton of fun writing pulp and it’s my hope that readers are having as much run reading what I’ve churned out so far. Hang on to your fedoras folks, you ain’t seen nothing yet!
AP: Thanks, Andrew.
For more information on iPulp Fiction’s offerings, please visit www.ipulpfiction.com
For more information on Airship 27 Productions’ offerings, please visit www.gopulp.info
Lance Star: Sky Ranger joins the iPulp Fiction Library
Flying high in the pages of the Airship 27 Productions anthologies and eBooks, Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s writers and creators have partnered with iPulp Fiction to bring exciting pulp stories directly to your mobile device. The fiull story and artwork can be read at http://www.lance-star.com/.
iPulp Fiction is releasing a story a day throughout June and July including tales featuring Lance Star: Sky Ranger. Bobby Nash’s story, “Where The Sea Meets The Sky” will be released July 18th for the low price of $1.00. Visit iPulp at www.ipulpfiction.com for more information.
iPulpFiction is a cloud-based reading service that publishes classic and contemporary short stories that are accessible from any device with an up-to-date browser and an Internet connection. iPulp is on the cutting edge of a new generation of web apps.
Beginning this week, look for new Lance Star: Sky Ranger based interviews with the writers, editors, and the crew at iPulp Fiction and airship 27 Productions at the official Lance Star website, www.lance-star.com.
Make sure you check out Bobby Nash’s Lance Star: Sky Ranger story, “Where The Sea Meets The Sky” on July 18, 2011 when it is released for the low price of $1.00 at www.ipulpfiction.com. Print and digital editions from Airship 27 are also available.
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.
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
Saturday, May 14th, 2011 After the final panel ended for the day, most of the stalwart band of PULP ARKers, guests and fans alike, went out for a nice, large dinner at Colton’s Steak House. The table filled with over thirty guests went from one wall of their largest room to the other. As had quickly become the norm, great fun and camaraderie was had by all.
Following that, PULP ARK continued with the presentation of the first annual PULP ARK Awards! These awards covered ten categories and had been voted on after nominations were taken late last year. Nine of the awards were voted on by anyone who made a nomination in just one of the nine categories. The Lifetime Achievement Award was chosen by a hand selected committee of ten, who each made three initial nominations, then the top three of those were voted on to determine the winner.
Rob Davis and Ron Fortier accepting BEST PULP COMIC The Pulptress in the background
Several awards were accepted by their winners, others by proxies.
The First Annual PULP ARK Awards went to-
BEST BOOK-Gregg Taylor for TALES OF THE RED PANDA: THE ANDROID ASSASSINS
BEST COVER-Anthony Perkins for TALES OF THE RED PANDA: THE ANDROID ASSASSINS
BEST SHORT STORY-Phil Bledsoe for THE MOUNTAIN GOATS OF MADNESS
Tommy Hancock accepting BEST PULP MAGAZINE
BEST INTERIOR ART-ANTHONY CASTRILLO for THE ROOK, VOLUME 5
BEST PULP COMIC-Ron Fortier and Redbud Studios for BOSTON BOMBERS
BEST PULP MAGAZINE-Fuller Bumpers and Tommy Hancock and Pro Se Productions for MASKED GUN MYSTERY
BEST PULP REVIVAL-Adam Lance Garcia for GREEN LAMA UNBOUND
BEST AUTHOR-Barry Reese
BEST NEW WRITER-Tommy Hancock
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD-Tom and Ginger Johnson
Art Sippo Accepting Lifetime Achievement Award for Tom and Ginger Johnson
Following the award, the first annual PULP ARK Art Auction was held. Three artists contributed pieces-Rob Davis of Airship 27 and Pete Cooper and Dalton Carpenter of Pro Se Productions. Although the bidding was quick, there were a few heated wars amongst fans for some of the available pieces, but everyone enjoyed themselves and it must be noted 80% of the proceeds went back to the artist! This will be an event that will continue at PULP ARK!
Barry Reese Accepting BEST AUTHOR Award
A major announcement, or actuall revelation was made during the Awards and Auction. The mysterious masked lady that had been seen frequently since Pulp Ark started, at one point in her standard striped shirt, suspenders, skirt, and fedora and at another in a rather stylish cowgirl outfit, was on hand to give out the awards. Her identity was revealed by Tommy Hancock to be that of THE PULPTRESS! Hancock explained that this Pulp Heroine for the 21st Century would be promoting Pro Se Productions but equally as important would be the spokesmodel for the New Pulp Movement as well. The applause and pictures being snapped around the room signalled that this announcement was a positive one. The Pulptress, still shrouded in mystery, was very pleased to be a part of all the activity and vowed to promote New Pulp along with her never ending battle against Evil. You can now join The Pulptress’s page on Facebook! Just search for The Pulptress and she’ll be there!
Tommy Hancock accepting BEST NEW WRITER Award
After the Convention wrapped up for the evening, most of the participants once more gathered in the Comfort Suites conference room for an impromptu New Pulp meeting. The results of this conversation are still being developed and will be announced soon!
AP: Andrew, welcome back to All Pulp. You’re back in the spotlight due to a new novel. Give us a brief over view of THE DARK LAND, now out from Airship 27/Cornerstone Publishing.
Thanks for having me! It’s great to be back! What a great time to be a pulp creator!
As for the new novel, The Dark Land, the book is my attempt to create a plausible near-future sci-fi police procedural.
The year is 2049 and the world has been decimated by a terrorist-launched pandemic which killed billions. On the heels of that catastrophe, a series of natural disasters have reshaped most of the globe. When we join the story, the survivors are still digging themselves out and trying to rebuild. To that end, and to stem the tide of chaos and lawlessness that reigns everywhere, the governments of the world turn to science, in this case, cloning.
The terrible attack on New York of September 2001 killed so many police and firemen that a program was put in place shortly after to preserve the DNA and digital mindfiles (or brain maps) of experienced police and firemen so that in case of similar disasters, a ready cadre of experienced men and women could be created to maintain order. However all of the personal memories of the recruits for the Special-Operative program have been erased from the mindfiles, leaving only the professional abilities. The clones have all the tools they need with which to do their jobs, they are given computer-generated names and are pressed into service.
But there is something wrong with C-Peter Reilly, the protagonist of the tale. You see, he remembers his past life, all of it. And if Special-Ops finds out about it, he’ll never see the light of day. The novel follows his journey through this new world as he tries to come to grip with who he is while he and his partner hunt an elusive killer who has murdered a clone so fresh out of the tank that the crime seems to be without motive.
AP: From the plot, THE DARK LAND falls deftly into the science fiction category. Do you consider it to be a Pulp tale as well? What if anything makes one science fiction tale pulp and another not?
As to your first question, the answer is, strictly speaking: sort of. The Dark Land is not straight Golden Age hero pulp although it is definitely pulp inspired and has a lot in common with the hardboiled tradition of mystery fiction I love dearly. I cut my teeth on Mickey Spillane, Cornell Woolrich, John D MacDonald, Jim Thompson, Fredric Brown, James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and so many others… As one reader put it: “The Dark Land reads like James Ellroy meets Ray Bradbury” and being compared to those giants is tremendous praise indeed. Seeing as hardboiled fiction sprang up during the Golden Age of pulp, I suppose there is a lineage there. And hey, C-Peter Reilly is a Doc Savage fan in the book so, if you look close enough, you’ll see my pulp roots are showing. Ha!
Your second question is an excellent one and I’ll do my best here to answer it. As any pulp fan knows, pulp is not a genre but, rather, an approach to writing genre fiction. Among the various tricks we writers have in our pulp bags, for me, the most telling characteristic of what makes a pulp tale is pace. Pulp fiction, good, bad, wonderful, brilliant or terrible MOVES! Pulp tales rollick along at a breakneck pace and never let you come up for air. Now whether you’re walking the streets of some near-future society like in The Dark Land, riding the range, tearing down a 1930s avenue or fighting Martians with Edgar Rice Burroughs, pulp science-fiction tales have got to go, go, GO!
AP: Your hero in THE DARK LAND has an internal conflict to deal with as well as all the external ones he encounters. How is he affected or defined by the conflicts boiling within him and is this sort of conflict appropriate for a Pulp tale?
Well, how do we define ourselves? Are we our professions, our possessions, our associations? Or are we defined by our personality and our private needs? These are the questions The Dark Land asks through the character of C-Peter Reilly. This question of identity, the duality of a secret identity, is a mainstay of pulp fiction and the comic genre it gave birth to. Think of Richard Wentworth’s lamenting the life he and Nita Sloane can never have because of the Spider. Or Doc Savage’s ineptitude around women because he’s been raised from the cradle with an emphasis on intellectual pursuits. Who is the Shadow? What kind of personal life can Secret Agent X have? This question of identity is one that runs through the rich history of pulp although it was often not explored to any great degree.
Special-Operative C-Peter Reilly exists for one reason, and one reason only, to be a policeman. He was created by society to serve society. He was not given a choice in this. Having been grown from the genetic material of a policeman, his natural inclination is to roll up his sleeves and do what he can to keep the streets safe. That’s what cops do. But this future world he wakes up in is not his world. His memories are from our time and being harvested to fight for what’s left of the world doesn’t sit well with him. The clone world in the novel is not a pleasant place at times. There is a certain degree of amorality, clones are cavalier about themselves and somewhat ambivalent about the society they are sworn to protect – a society that views them more as a bunch of Frankenstein’s monsters than fellow human beings.
Thus the novel, unlike the classic pulps of the past, explores choice and sacrifice in, I feel, a unique way. Reilly is torn between his devotion to duty and his own desires. What is the cost of doing the right thing? What is the right thing to do?
Also, in a way, cops are pulp heroes, aren’t they? Think about it, pulp heroes put on a “uniform” strap on guns, have no super powers, and hit the streets looking to stop crime. Cops, both real and fictional, do this every day!
AP: Enough beating around the bush. You push the envelope of Pulp, some would say, a couple of different ways with THE DARK LAND. Do you agree and if so, how are you pushing the boundaries? And how far is too far before a story is no longer Pulp?
To answer the first question, I’d say the novel pushes the pulp envelope with regards to identity and choice. C-Peter Reilly has the most in common with Secret Agent X, I feel. X has no identity, no personal life beyond his love for Betty Dale. He is his job. Simple as that. Clones grown to serve fit this mould as well. The novel pushes the envelope by exploring this aspect of the selfless hero. Reilly begins the novel on shaky ground and experience see-saws his thoughts back and force throughout the tale in a way the Agent would never be tested. Reilly is forced to question his place in a world he knows needs his help. That is not an easy question for a hero to answer. It’s not an easy question for any of us!
As for going too far, that one is easy. When the story becomes solely about character or world building, becomes bogged down by these, then the writer has strayed out of pulp territory. If you recall what I said earlier about pace, getting too introspective with characters or exploring the fictional world you’ve created at the expense of the plot can grind the pace down to a dead stop. Pulp is about plot with character and setting thrown in to sweeten the pot. The Dark Land deals with the questions we’ve been discussing but within the context of a murder investigation. The murder is a product of the world Reilly finds himself inhabiting and the trick is to sprinkle character and setting throughout the murder investigation, dole them out gradually so that the plot can keep moving. I believe this is something that the best modern pulp writers do better than the greats of old. I’ve taken a crack at it here and only readers can tell me if I’ve pulled it off.
AP: In the future you imagine in THE DARK LAND, cloning is accepted, even if the resulting clones are not always. What are your thoughts on cloning? Is the future you depict in THE DARK LAND a possible real future for us in your opinion?
Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s accepted in the world of the novel. Tolerated sounds more appropriate. Clones are a necessary evil in The Dark Land. Much the same way some view the police today. As for my personal view? Cloning is dangerous – not in an evil-doppelganger-let-lose-in-the-world way, but, rather, it can and will be a powerful tool in the years to come. One we had better be careful how we use. I touch upon some of the darker aspects of cloning in the book as far as privacy and identity are concerned. In the novel, celebrity clones people brothels for all manner of illicit activity. That’s the kind of thing I’m talking about here.
The world of the novel is as realistic as I could make it. I tried to stay away from the Blade Runner approach. Don’t get me wrong, I love that film and it has gone on to inspire countless good, and not so good, visions of the future. The downside of that is that these futures are always dark, it’s always night and it seems to be always raining. The world of The Dark Land is dark in that there has been so much tragedy. However amidst the devastation, the world is rebuilding. The sun does shine in the novel although it illuminates a world still mired in ugliness. The terrorist attacks of 2001, Katrina, the recent quakes in Japan have all been terrible, terrible catastrophes. And yet, the world goes on. Human beings are characterized by our adaptability and I believe that, barring an all-encompassing disaster, we can survive anything. The world of The Dark Land is one I hope readers will be able to relate as a possible world not that much unlike our present. There is hope in the novel. It’s dusty, broken, and a little hard to find in the rubble, but it’s there.
AP: Going off topic only a little, you’ve come out as an author in the recently titled NEW PULP Movement. What is New Pulp and what do you feel your work in general and THE DARK LAND specifically bring to the New Pulp table?
NEW PULP, for me, represents an attempt to swing the pulp pendulum. When the internet touched off the pulp renaissance we pulp fans and creators are basking in today, the focus was on making the wonderful pulp tales of the past readily and affordably available to rabid pulp fans everywhere. This was a fantastic development. The internet brought pulp fans together, allowed collectors to scour the inventories of countless pulp dealers all over the world through ebay and store websites. And pulp, frankly, exploded! Yahoo!
Amidst all of this expanded interest in the great old magazines we all know and love, the internet also allowed modern day creators to share what began as fan fiction through free postings, email and so on. Then, before you knew it, publishers started to creep forward and collect the best of these new pulp adventure tales featuring both old and new characters. It started small, with a few publishers here and there like Airship 27, Moonstone, Wild Cat Books and so on. And it didn’t take long before these publishers started offering their wares at pulp conventions and book stores and writers and artists everywhere began creating more and more new tales, new characters and the like.
New creators like myself are expanding the art form we love, taking it into uncharted waters. Pulp in the 1930s was all about experimentation, trying new things. And that’s what’s happening today with New Pulp. Like all creative fiction, pulp is growing, evolving while staying true to its roots.
The Dark Land was written along these lines. As I’ve stated above, it was an attempt to create a plausible, recognizable future and people it with characters one might find in the classic hardboiled fiction of yesteryear. And to give this concoction a modern spin.
I’ve tried to do the same with the classic characters I’ve been privileged to write: Secret Agent X, Sherlock Holmes, Jim Anthony, the Black Bat, Dan Fowler… The key is to stay true to the characters while giving them a somewhat modern sensibility.
New Pulp is not necessarily about change, but rather, it’s about exploring possibilities. Pulp creators of the past worked at a frantic pace with deadlines staring them in the face. Modern creators don’t work under that kind of compressed timeframe. There’s room and time now to let pulp breathe, go down a few dark alleys and see what we can find.
New Pulp celebrates the evolution and continuance of this fantastic fiction by recognizing the contributions of so many wonderful creators working today. New Pulp states proudly that it’s time for the wonderful tales and artwork being created today to legitimately carry the art form forward. Those working in pulp today, in whatever capacity, represent the future of this art form. We haven’t forgotten the past – how could we? – but it’s time to focus more on the future.
AP: With New Pulp being designated as such, what do you feel the impact of this movement will be? What appeals to you about being a part of New Pulp?
In the last five years, so many talented creators: writers, artists, editors and the like have thrown their hat in the pulp ring that we now have new pulp stories coming out of our ears! To put it simply, there has never been a better time to be a pulp fan. There already exists a Mount Everest of fantastic old material and now a mountain of New Pulp is being created, all around us, every day. Why climb only one pulp mountain when there are two to conquer?
The sheer number of creators churning out new pulp tales is staggering! And that number keeps growing. It’s gotten to the point that modern day pulp publishers have become the Street and Smiths and Popular Publications of today! It’s no longer simply hobbyist creating pulp on a small scale for their immediate circle to savor. Rather the revolution is in full swing and modern pulpsmiths are the Lester Dents, Walter Gibsons and Norvell Pages of the 21st Century! Hundreds of creators, all over the world, are carrying pulp forward, building on the unforgettable greats of the past who inspired us all. Sure, it’s not all brilliant but neither were all the tales from the Golden Age. We’re in the Bronze Age of pulp now and this Doc Savage fan finds that most satisfying.
Publishers will soon be displaying the New Pulp seal on their releases and by doing so are stating for the record that new pulp fiction is here, it’s growing, it’s wonderful and fans everywhere, old and new, are invited to join the party!
Those of us working in pulp today truly love this art form. It’s as simple as that. And this pulp writer is honored to be able to do what I can to bring the form forward into the future. By banding together to declare our arrival as legitimate heirs to the pulp throne, I believe writers, creators and publishers of today make a bold statement. We are putting pulp on our backs and carrying it forward. It’s not about replacing the great works of the past, it’s about adding to them. Modern pulp tales are canon! This is New Pulp’s rallying cry.
Being part of the New Pulp revolution is a great honor. As I said above, creators today love this art form and I share that deep devotion. Pulp fiction is great fun! It’s exciting to write and I’m having a ball. I’m truly inspired by the creators of the past and try to channel that inspiration into my work. When I sit down to write a Secret Agent X tale (or any other great, old character) I do not do so lightly. I don’t consider the works of the past greats as mere fertilizer for whatever tale I’m growing. Rather, I take it as a sacred trust to do the character right, to honor the work of those who created him or her. And I know I’m not alone in this. Most of the pulp creators working today are devoted to honoring what has come before while adding to the rich legacy of the past.
AP: You’ve done a significant bit of work with Airship 27 Productions. What about this particular publishing outfit appeals to you?
There are a lot of great pulp publishers out there today! It’s wonderful! I’ve had the good fortune to work for Pro Se and am still trying to creep my way into Moonstone but, for me, Airship 27 produces the best overall pulp books on the market today. And I don’t say that to take anything away from the other publishers. The ol’ Airship has a lot of stiff competition let me tell you!
Ron Fortier and Rob Davis run a fun outfit and I’m honored to be a part of it. Plus they are truly great guys as I found out a couple of years ago when I got to attend Windy City and hang out with them for a few days. Same goes for Michael Poll and Cornerstone Book Publishers who publishers the books and gets them out there. Thanks to them I’ve had the chance to write some truly great pulp characters, publish two novels, co-write a third and picked up three pulp award nominations (and one win!) in the process.
The amount of work I’ve done for Airship 27 (10 books and counting!) is also a direct result of my personal sense of loyalty. They were the first ones to take an interest in my work, they gave me a shot and I’m a team player. When a publisher brings me into the fold, they don’t just get a pulp writer, they get a one-man promotion machine who will get behind them and promote, promote, promote. I’m not a sit back and wait for a royalty check kind of writer. I’ll bang the drums and shout from the rooftops to promote any project I’m a part of. I do this as my way of saying thanks to the publisher for taking a chance on me and I do it gladly. For Airship’s popular Sherlock Holmes line of anthologies, I promoted the books (via the internet) in more than 20 countries! Yeah, I roll up my sleeves and get to work! Ha!
Another reason it seems I write exclusively for Airship 27 is, frankly because, aside from Pro Se and Moonstone, no one else has ever asked me to do anything for them! I love Airship 27 but I’ve got plenty of pulp to spread around and would gladly do some work for another outfit if the opportunity arose. I took a stab at writing the Green Hornet for Moonstone, which, sadly, didn’t work out although I enjoyed the experience immensely. And I’m open to working with them again, anytime. Same goes for any other pulp publisher out there. Our lines our open and we’re waiting for your call! I work cheap and write fast! Drop me a line! Seriously.
AP: You’ve done quite a bit of work on Public Domain characters and/or concepts that were created by others. THE DARK LAND is an original work of your own. Which do you prefer and why?
Great questions! I’m a sucker for research! I love it! So when a public domain character comes along, I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the history of that character and learn every bit I can about him or her. Imagine: reading pulp adventure tales as work! Welcome to Heaven #7, friends! In a way, writing public domain characters is easier because the groundwork has been done for you. That said, one still has to dive into the history, which is time consuming but oh so much fun let me tell you!
In a way, writing original concepts set in the classic period is very similar to working with established characters. The difference being one is reading history not classic pulp fiction. Hindsight is, I feel, the one tool that sets modern pulpsmiths apart from the greats of the past. We have the benefit of being able to look back and know where the history is going while the writers of the 1930s had only their present to work with. I try to inject as much real history as I can into my pulp tales as I can. The same way I strove to create a plausible future in The Dark Land, I work towards re-creating a realistic 30s world for my classic pulp tales.
As far as which I prefer goes, I guess my answer depends on time. If a deadline looms, then working with established characters is best because you can hit the ground running and learn as you go. But if time is not a factor, then taking the time to create something completely new and different is great, great fun! Ron Fortier and I had a blast creating the Ghost Squad, not only the characters but the trappings and gadgets they used in their battle against the Black Legion. Helping Mark Halegua hone his Red Badge creation was also very rewarding and being allowed to explore the worlds of Mars McCoy the Pulp Factory created was also a lot of fun.
The simple answer: I love ’em both but circumstances determine which I love more at any given time.
AP: You have an interesting concept you’re working on. Willing to share a little about your German pulp work?
Okay. Well, before I get into the current work, a little history lesson might be in order. My personal history, that is. You see, I’ve always been fascinated by World War Two. I’m not alone in this but my fascination has taken me down some interesting paths. Thing is I’ve always loved the German stuff! Not the ideology! Not what they stood for! I want to be 100% clear on that! I’ve just always thought that their stuff looked cooler than the Allied stuff. When I was a kid I used to build Tiger tank and Stuka models while my brothers built Shermans and Spitfires.
From this lifelong fascination I wrote The Light Of Men, a science-fiction novel set in a Nazi concentration camp. The book was my first work for Airship 27 and the 12 years I spent researching and writing the novel paid off when I heard from readers that, upon finishing the book, they felt as if they had spent time in one of those hellish camps, which was the reading experience I’d been going for.
Seeing as The Light Of Men is not, strictly speaking, a pulp novel although it is an adventure story, it got me thinking of doing a tale of German pulp heroes, combining two of my favorite interests, and from this All-Men: The Shadow-Line was born.
There’s not too much I can tell you about the novel at this point except to say that it’s going to surprise a lot of people. The basic concept is that a team of Berlin-based, German pulp heroes is forced to leave Nazi Germany in 1938 and are unable to return to the city until July 1945, when the US, Britain and France take over their sections of it. What follows will, I hope, be a tale that keeps readers glued to their seats. I’m exploring aspects of the pulp hero I don’t think have been touched on to date and doing it in a way that I hope will be fresh, interesting and entertaining. That’s all I’m prepared to say about the story at the moment. I’ve just passed 50,000 words on it after putting in a year of research and the writing experience has been the most rewarding pulp I’ve written to date. Here’s an All Pulp exclusive: Pulp Factory Award winning artist Mike Fyles will be handling the artist chores on the book – a development for which I get down on my knees every day and thank the pulp gods. He’s already done some preliminary paintings of the heroes rolling around between my ears and the work is absolutely fantastic. Pulp fans are going to be blown away, and that’s a promise! And that’s all you’re going to get for now! Airship 27 is game to publish the thing. That is, if I can ever get it finished!
AP: Other than the aforementioned, what can Pulp fans expect from Andrew Salmon in the near future?
There are other irons in the fire that’s for sure. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Volume Three should be out very soon and I’ve got a tale in that. I’ve also contributed a Rick Ruby tale to the anthology of the same name. Ruby is the creation of Bobby Nash and Sean Taylor and I was pleased to be able to contribute a tale to the anthology of this hardboiled 30s gumshoe. Also on deck is my collaboration with Mark Halegua: Red Badge. This tale will be in the upcoming Mystery Men and Women Volume Two. All of the above are Airship 27 productions.
After that, we’ll see what happens. I’ve got a whopper of an idea for Sherlock Holmes novel. And a Secret Agent X novel is definitely in the foreseeable future. Also I would love to do a Three Musketeers novel as well. None of these are set in stone as yet and I’ve got to finish The Shadow-Line first. Other than that I’ll keep my eyes and ears open and my nose to the pulpstone. Anyone out there looking for pulp tales?
