Airship 27 Productions is very excited to announce the release of its latest pulp anthology featuring a classic hero from the past; the Moon Man.
Detective Sgt. Stephen Thatcher is the son of Police Chief Peter Thatcher. Sickened by the effects of the Great Depression on Great City, the young lawman cannot reconcile the rich society elite living the good life while across town the poor of Great City go hungry. Unable to correct this injustice through the system he represents, Thatcher assumes the role of the vigilante thief the Moon Man by disguising himself behind a one-way Argus glass globe. In this get up he then proceed to rob the rich and give to the needy via his loyal aide, former boxer Ned “Angel” Dargan. He is also aided by the lovely Sue McEwen, the daughter of the man sworn to capture him, his own boss, Lt. Detective Gil McEwen.
Created by pulp legend Frederick C. Davis, the Moon Man’s exploits appeared in the pages of “Ten Detective Aces” and were all reader favorites. “It really is amazing how many old pulp fans still recall this character with so much fondness,” commented Airship 27 Managing Editor, Ron Fortier. “He was so unique and outlandish, fighting villains and avoiding the police all the while wearing that fish bowl on his head.”
Now he returns to the streets of Great City in five new thrilling adventures written by writers Ken Janssens, Gary Lovisi, Erwin K.Roberts and Andrew Salmon. Pulpdom’s most bizarre hero is back on the case with a cover by Rob Davis & Rich Woodall and twelve interior illustrations by Ralph Van Der Hoeven.
“This is just kind of book we started Airship 27 Productions for,” added Fortier. “To shine a spotlight on these classic pulp heroes and showcase them to a new audience. For many, this will be their first introduction to the Moon Man. Hopefully while enjoying these new tales, they will be intrigued enough to go find reprints of the originals.”
Airship 27 Productions – Pulp Fiction For A New Generation!
A Review of Raymond Benson’s THE BLACK STILETTO by Andrew Salmon
Raymond Benson’s The Black Stiletto (Oceanview Publishing) has a lot going for it but the sum is not quite equal to the parts that make up the novel.
The set up is an intriguing one. Judy Talbot is an elderly woman stricken with Alzheimer’s disease and slowing dying in a hospital. Her son, Martin, is given access to some of her personal effects as he awaits the inevitable end of the woman who raised him. Going through these papers he learns that his mother was a masked vigilante known as the Black Stiletto in the late 1950s and find diaries – the first of which relating her origin and early adventures.
The novel then branches off into three distinct storylines. We follow Martin as he uncovers his mother’s secret lair and costumes, reads the diary and gets bogged down in losing his job, hassles with his ex-wife and his own daughter who seems to have inherited her grandmother’s independent streak. Interspaced with this are the diary entries themselves as we see thirteen-year-old Judy suffer at the hands of her abusive stepfather, run away to New York and begin training as a fighter – picking up skills which will serve her well when the time comes to fight crime. The last storyline concerns the release of an ex-mobster who spent 50 years in prison courtesy of the Black Stiletto and is looking for a little payback in the modern day.
There’s a lot of material to work with here and most of it is interesting. However Martin’s job loss and trials with his daughter come across as needless padding. Judy’s story is where the book really shines although it is not without its shortcomings. There’s a heavy theme of chauvinism here and it’s a testament to her character that she is able to break down barriers, live and train in a all-male gymnasium and hold her head up in what was then a male-dominated world. She also gets a solid base of fight training which takes years and adds credibility to her decision to hit the streets and fight crime. She’s young and she stumbles out of the gate, falling for and eventually living with a mobster. When he is taken out, Judy is looking for revenge and the Black Stiletto is born. Media sensation, crime fighter hunted by the police, champion of the people… these elements are all present and the first person account of the birth of a costumed vigilante make for some interesting reading. When she tosses off a “courtesy of the Black Stiletto” you know the author is giving a nod to the Domino Lady.
It all sounds like fun stuff and, for the most part, it is, but the scenes from the 1950s rang utterly false to this reader. Aside from tossing in old song titles Judy hears constantly, the flashbacks read like modern day prose. I never felt like I was in the 50s reading these sections and that is a major failing of the book. Coupled with the padding I mentioned above and the novel, although short, begins to bog down. Also, as this is the first of a projected series, not a heck of a lot happens for the first 100 pages. This is no lean and mean pulp gripper but rather 266 meandering pages with occasional highlights.
Judy’s story is a compelling one. Watching the ruthless old ex-con drawing closer to a now helpless Black Stiletto in the modern day keeps you turning the pages. However a lack of pace and the author’s inability to capture the 50s authentically take away from what could have been a captivating take on the classic pulp hero.
I give The Black Stiletto a cautious recommendation as it pushes the New Pulp envelope. Hancock’s Yesteryear does it better but that doesn’t mean than Benson’s book shouldn’t find an audience. This reader found it an interesting read and others may find some of what I though detracted from the story riveting, which is why I recommend giving the novel a try. It’s no classic but it does come at the pulp hero from a different angle and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Tommy Hancock, Pulp Ark Coordinator, announced the end of nominations and the release of the ballot for the second Pulp Ark Awards to be given out at Pulp Ark 2012 in Batesville, AR, April 20-22, 2012.
“We had a fantastic turn out in terms of nominations again this year,” Hancock stated. “More than 25 publishers represented across the board, this is a ballot that truly reflects not only the popularity that Pulp has today, but also the variety and creativity within the field.”
Listed below is the Ballot qualified voters received today. Only those who nominated a work or individual in one of the categories are qualified to vote. Voting will end on February 20, 2012 with winners announced soon after.
If you did nominate someone and did not receive a ballot, please email Hancock at proseproductions@earthlink.net and this will be corrected.
There will also be a Pulp Ark 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award given. This will be selected by a committee already chosen and results will be announced on or before February 21, 2012.
Best Novel Nominees
Yesteryear by Tommy Hancock-Pro Se Productions
Deadly Games by Bobby Nash-BEN Books
The Damned Thing by Barry Reese-Wildcat Books
Wake of the Red Mistress by Teel James Glenn-Eternal Press
Sentinels: Stellarax by Van Allen Plexico-White Rocket Books
Damballa by Charles Saunders-Airship 27 Productions
Hammered by Kevin Hearne-Random House
Viktoriana by Wayne Reinagel-Knightraven Studios
Misty Johnson, Supernatural Dick in Capitol Hell by R. P. Steeves-Seven Realms Publishing
Truly Deeply Disturbed by Andrew Nienaber-Postmortem Press
The Halloween Legion by Martin Powell-Wildcat Books
Dark Destiny by Jeff Melton-Jeff Melton
The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage-Desert Demons by Will Murray-Altus Press
Fortune’s Pawn by Nancy A. Hansen-Pro Se Productions
Challenger Storm: Isle of Blood by Don Gates-Airship 27 Productions
The Myth Hunter by Percival Constantine-Pulpwork Press (?)
Knight Moves by John G. Hartness-Falstaff Books
Arron of the Black Forest: The Haunting of Dragon’s Cliff by Phil Athans and Mel Odom-Arron of the Black Forest Partnership
Best Collection/Anthology Nominees
The Adventures of Fortune McCall by Derrick Ferguson-Pro Se Productions
Lance Star: Sky Ranger Volume 3 by Various-Airship 27 Productions
Blackthorn: Thunder on Mars by Various- White Rocket Books
Hugh Monn, Private Detective by Lee Houston, Jr- Pro Se Productions
Shadows of New York by Teel James Glenn- BooksforaBuck.com
The Adventures of Lazarus Gray by Barry Reese-Pro Se Productions
How the West was Weird II by Various-Pulpwork Press
The Game by Various -Seven Realms Publishing
The Beer Chronicles: Tales from the Paddy Rodriguez Pub by Scott Lange-Postmortem Press
The Avenger: The Justice Inc. Files by Various-Moonstone
The Rook Volume Six by Barry Reese-Pro Se Productions
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Volume 3 by various-Airship 27 Productions
Mystery Men and Women Volume 2 by Various-Airship 27 Productions
Four Bullets for Dillon by Derrick Ferguson-Pulpwork Press
Dreams of Steam II: Brass and Bolts by Various-Kerlak Publishing
Best Short Story Nominees
“Sting of the Yellowjacket” By Howard Hopkins from the Green Hornet Casefiles-Moonstone
Red Badge Attacks by Mark S. Halegua and Andrew Salmon from Mystery Men and Women Vol II-Airship 27 Productions
Sherringford Bell: The Scandal of the Bohemian by Ken Janssens from Pro Se Presents #1-Pro Se Productions
A Bargain with Bandit Ping by Teel James Glenn from Tales of Old Magazine-Tales of Old
The Adventure of the Towne Manor Haunting by Andrew Salmon in Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective, Volume 3-Airship 27 Productions
Gunmen of the Hollow Earth by Joel Jenkins from How the West Was Weird: Campfire Tales-Pulpwork Press
Vengeance is Mine by Ron Fortier from the Avenger: The Justice Inc Files-Moonstone
Storms of Blood and Snow by Derrick Ferguson from How the West was Weird Volume II – Pulpwork Press
Misty Johnson and the Monsters of the Caribbean by R. P. Steeves from The Game- Seven Realms Publishing
Sewer Rats-C. Bryan Brown from Dark Doorways: Best of Post Mortem Press-Post Mortem Press
Death with a Glint of Bronze by Sean Taylor from Dreams of Steam II:Nuts and Bolts-Kerlak Publishing
Bastion of the Black Sorcerer by Van Allen Plexico from Blackthorn: Thunder on Mars-White Rocket Books
Summer of Death by Barry Reese from The Green Hornet Casefiles-Moonstone
Clockworks by William Preston from Asimov’s-Asimov’s
The Devil’s Workmen by Barry Reese from The Avenger: The Justice, Inc. Files-Moonstone
Shortages-Lee Houston Jr. from Hugh Monn, Private Detective-Pro Se Productions
Dock Doyle by Adam Garcia from Mystery Men and Women volume 2-Airship 27 Productions
The Hunter Island Adventure by Wayne Reinagel from Pro Se Presents #3-Pro Se Productions
Felony Fists by Paul Bishop-Fight Card
Romney Marsh, The Scarecrow of Space by Phil Bledsoe-Phil Bledsoe
Dillon and the Bad Ass Belt Buckle by Derrick Ferguson from Four Bullets for Dillon-Pulpwork Press
The Real Magic by H. David Blalock from Dreams of Steam II-Kerlak Publishing
Beast of the Black Hills by Tony Wilson from How The West was Weird II-Pulpwork Press
Best Cover Nominees
Challenger Storm: The Isle of Blood by Wm. Michael Kaluta – Airship 27 Productions
The Adventures of Lazarus Gray by Anthony Castrillo-Pro Se Productions
Hugh Monn, Private Detective by David Russell-Pro Se Productions
Pro Se Presents #3, ‘The Hunter Island Adventure’ by Wayne Reinagel-Pro Se Productions
How The West Was Weird II by Jim Rugg-Pulpwork Press
Mars McCoy, Space Ranger by Chad Hardin-Airship 27 Productions
Strange Gods of the Dire Planet by MD Jackson-Pulpwork Press
These Trespasses by Philip R. Rogers-Post Mortem Press
The Halloween Legion by Danny Kelly-Wildcat Books
Blackthorn: Thunder on Mars by James Burns-White Rocket Books
The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage: Desert Demons by Joe DeVito-Altus Press
The Avenger: The Justice Inc. Files by E.M. Gist-Moonstone
Creeping Dawn: Rise of the Black Centipede by David Russell-Pro Se Productions
Mystery Men and Women Volume 2 by Mike Fyles-Airship 27 Productions
The Damned Thing by Jason Levesque-Wildcat Books
Arron of the Black Forest: The Haunting of Dragon’s Cliff- by Keith Birdsong-Arron of the Black Forest Partnership
Dreams of Steam II: Brass and Bolts by Darrell Osborn-Kerlak Publishing
Best Interior Art Nominees
Blackthorn: Thunder on Mars-Chris Kohler-White Rocket Books
The Rook Volume Six –Anthony Castrillo-Pro Se Productions
Yesteryear-Pete Cooper-Pro Se Productions
Robin Hood: Arrow of Justice-Rob Davis
Challenger Storm: Isle of Blood-Wm. Kaluta-Airship 27 Productions
The Damned Thing-Kevin Duncan-Wildcat Books
Lance Star Sky Ranger, Volume 3-Shannon Hall-Airship 27 Productions
Airship 27 Productions and Cornerstone Book Publishers are thrilled to announce the release of the new MYSTERY MEN (& Women) Vol II.
In 2010, after five years of bring pulp fans the best new adventures of classic pulp characters, Airship 27 Productions launched this particular title to allow their talented creators to have fun inventing brand new pulp heroes. In Volume One we introduced pulp fans to four original characters, two of whom were female avengers. Now we proudly present the second installment and another brand new quartet of fresh and exciting heroes cast in the mold of the classic adventurers of the past.
RED BADGE –Operating on the streets of New York, he is a mysterious vigilante daring to confront the mobs and protect the innocent. But who is he really? The cop, the famous radio announcer, the brother to a victimized young woman? Created by Mark Halegua with writing partner Andrew Salmon.
JACK MINCH, ACE REPORTER –Writer, editor, Jack Minch thought he knew New York City like the back of his hand until one of his star reporters suddenly vanishes within the deep, maze like sewer tunnels beneath the concrete Gotham. Now Minch and a detective ally must travel into this unknown domain where death lurks at every turn. Created by Greg Bastianelli.
DOCK DOYLE – Dock Doyle was a movie matinee hero of the cliffhanger serials known around the world. But when things go horribly awry on location of his latest jungle adventure, the actor must come to grips with becoming a true hero, or dying in the process. Created by Adam Garcia.
A MAN CALLED MONGREL – In today’s world of high tech communications, private companies wield power like governments, some for the public good, and others for their own evil agendas. Now a modern day warrior will champion his family’s technological empire and defend it against all who would destroy them. His name is Mongrel. Created by Derrick Ferguson.
Here are four brand new, action packed pulp tales starring four original heroes to thrill and entertain today’s diehard pulp enthusiasts. The book features a stunning cover by Pulp Factory Award winning artist, Mike Fyles with interior illos and book design by Airship 27 Art Director, Rob Davis, himself a former PF Award winner; all edited by Ron Fortier and happily delivered to pulp fans around the world by …
Airship 27 Prodcutions – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!
ISBN 1-613420-21-8 ISBN-13 978-1-613420-21-8 Produced by Airship 27 Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers Release date: 10/26/2011 Retail Price: $16.95 Now available for $3 at Digital Hangar 27 (http://homepage.mac.com/robmdavis/Airship27Hangar/index.html#mysterymen2) Also from (www.IndyPlanet.com) 10/31/2011 P.O.D. Price: $15
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
Airship 27 Productions & Golden Hammer Press are delighted to announce the next chapter in their best selling series with Volume III of “Sherlock Holmes – Consulting Detective” and present a brand new quintet of terrific, classic Holmes mysteries written in the tradition of his creator; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Five brand new puzzles to challenge the Great Detective and his ever loyal companion, Dr.Watson.Within these pages they will encounter mythological fairies seeming to plague a beautiful country estate, man-eating tigers on the loose in the streets of London and a stolen museum mummy.These are only some of the mysteries awaiting the famous crime solving duo as penned by today’s most gifted writers; Aaron Smith, I.A. Watson, Joshua Reynolds and Andrew Salmon.Both Salmon & Watson having won the prestigious Pulp Factory Award for their earlier Holmes tales in volumes one and two respectively.
Airship 27 Productions is thrilled to be continuing this extremely popular series which Sherlock Holmes fans around the globe have made an overwhelming success. “Of all the books we’ve done in the past six years, this series generates the most reader mail,” Airship 27 Managing Editor Ron Fortier reports.“For months we’ve been bombarded by our Holmes fans wanting to know when this book was coming out.I’m truly happy to say the wait is over.” Volume III features a wonderful new cover painting by Brian McCulloch plus eleven interior illustrations by the book’s designer, Rob Davis, another Pulp Factory Award winner for his work on volume one.So load your revolvers, hail a hansom and prepare yourself for page turning thrills aplenty.Once again, the game is afoot!
Airship 27 Productions; Pulp Fiction for a New Generation!
