Four New Pulp creators and proclaimed members of what some are calling The New Pulp Movement, announced today that they have united to present the world with the first official New Pulp Podcast! PULPED!, a podcast focused on the works and trends that comprise and contribute to works created after the heyday of the Pulps that have the sensibilities of classic Pulp works and yet are new tales, debuted with its first episode on June 20th.
Tommy Hancock, Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, and Ron Fortier, all noted pulp authors and personalities within New Pulp, make up the core circle behind PULPED! Functioning as a rotating circle of hosts, the PULPED! Four will spotlight different creators and New Pulp works each week as well as discussing trends in the sub genre. There will be a News section of the podcast, but it will be slightly different than traditional newscasts. Each co-host will bring a topic of New Pulp news to the table and then the assembled hosts will discuss and/or debate it. Also, PULPED! will be the home of reviews done by THE PULPTRESS, the spokesperson for New Pulp! Each week, she will deliver a review of current New Pulp books, audio, movies, tv, and other things that qualify as New Pulp.
“New Pulp,” said Tommy Hancock, “is a vibrant, relevant part of the fiction Pulp fans love and enjoy. Edgy at times, traditional at others, New Pulp shows that the fantastic heroic adventure fiction enjoyed by so many in the early 20th Century is not only still alive and well, but is on the verge of being an important part of literature of the 21st Century. PULPED!’s focus will not simply be on books, but on all aspects of how New Pulp permeates our society. It will also focus on everyone from major players in publishing and other fields right down to the small press publishers and independent creators that truly are the lifeblood of this movement.”
PULPED! will post a new episode every Monday at http://www.pulped.libsyn.com/ and will be available in the coming weeks via ITunes and other providers.
“Anyone who is a writer, artist, publisher,” Hancock stated, “that wants to be a guest on PULPED!, all they need to do is to send an email to braedenalex@centurytel.net or contact any of the four hosts.”
PULPED! The Official New Pulp Podcast-Episode 1-PULPED! For The First Time!
PULPED! is a Podcast dedicated to the creators and fans of New Pulp! New Pulp, heroic fiction by modern artists written with the sensibility and in the tradition of the Pulp genre! Pulp creators Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, Ron Fortier, and Tommy Hancock kick off this podcast dedicated to the promotion of The New Pulp Movement by explaining what the podcast is about, defining and discussing New Pulp, and letting know listeners what they’re in store for.
Then Tommy and Barry take off their hosts hats and climb in the guest spotlight to discuss Barry’s latest book, THE ROOK-VOLUME SIX, published by Hancock through the company he’s a partner in, Pro Se Productions. The origins of the Rook, Reese’s inspirations, and the logic behind Pro Se acquiring the Rook as well as future plans for the well known character are discussed in length. Following that, our intrepid co-hosts take on the PULPED! News. Each week, the co-hosts will bring one topic of New Pulp news to the table and they will discuss, analyze, explore, and debate it! If you like your fiction heroic, if you seek adventure and action in every word you read, then come on in, take a seat, and get PULPED!
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.
On Wednesday, August 31st, DC Comics will launch a historic renumbering of the entire DC Universe line of comic books with 52 first issues, including the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling writer and DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and bestselling artist and DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee. The publication of JUSTICE LEAGUE issue 1 will launch day-and-date digital publishing for all these ongoing titles, making DC Comics the first of the two major American publishers to release all of its superhero comic book titles digitally the same day as in print.
DC Comics will only publish two comic books on August 31st: the final issue of this summer’s comic book mini-series FLASHPOINT and the first issue of JUSTICE LEAGUE by Johns and Lee, two of the most distinguished and popular contemporary comic book creators, who will be collaborating for the first time. Together they will offer a contemporary take on the origin of the comic book industry’s premier superhero team.
A separate letter went out to retailers, hinting at “a more modern, diverse DC Universe, with some character variations in appearance, origin and age. All stories will be grounded in each character’s legend – but will relate to real world situations, interactions, tragedy and triumph.”
There’s a lot of head-shaking going on at this move– Tom Spurgeon displays this POV quite well– but to me, this screams hard core brand consolidation, combined with simplification to make it easy for the new comic reader– who is absolutely expected to be a digital reader. It wouldn’t surprise me if DC started doing special digital subscriptions. For example: all 52 series digitally for $50 a month.
The real concern, however, has to be on the retailer side, who will suddenly find competition on all of their titles on books that have been ordered months in advance and may be non-returnable. Hopefully, DC will keep books returnable for the first few months while the impact on stores is figured out.
If nothing else, it could explain why DC wasn’t at BookExpo this year, as they were waiting to relaunch big.
[[[Page by Paige]]] By Laura Lee Gulledge 192 Pages, Amulet Books, $16.95
Thankfully there are a growing number of graphic novels for young adults about subjects way beyond fantasy, science fiction, and superheroics. A new generation of creators are sharing their visions or lives (or both) with us and everyone benefits. The latest such offering is Page by Paige, produced by scenic painter Laura Lee Gulledge. Paige is a stand-in for Laura, whose family has relocated from Virginia to New York and being the new teen in high school is a rough experience. There’s the awkwardness of coming in during the school year coupled with navigating the courses, the hallways and the cliques. Fortunately for Paige, she is accompanied by her sketchbook and in private, she pours out her fears, anxieties, and hopes. She finally meets someone who is drawn to Paige, noticing the newcomer is reading an issue of Locas. Jules befriends Paige and introduces her to brother Longo and their friend Gabe. Suddenly, Paige has a circle of friends.
As Paige gets to know them, she creeps towards revealing her true self, that of a budding artist. Watching her crawl from her cocoon to become a beautiful red-headed butterfly is a joy. Better yet, once her friends see how true talents, they become her accomplices in beautifying their surroundings through Paige’s art, which literally leaps off the page.
The book is a lovely mix of Paige’s escapades and her sketchbook, providing insight and commentary into the first months of her new life in the big city. There’s absolutely nothing larger than life, but the canvass is a large one. There’s friendship, some romance, studying in the city’s great art museums, relating to one’s parents, and expressing one’s self artistically. Page by page, ahem, we are treated to inventive layouts and designs as we get insightful glimpses into Paige’s conscious mind.
Gulledge is an honest artist, laying out her fears and dreams out for all of us to examine. She’s very naturalistic in her character designs and makes certain every character has a distinctive voice. Paige herself is loudest, of course, and readers will truly enjoy getting to know this character.
The book may have just been released but it has already been nominated for a deserving spot on the Young Adult Library Services Association’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. This comes highly recommend to people seeking something fresh and different.
Hey, kids! Guess what? DC is revamping their line again, for what seems like the 1,000th time since Crisis On Infinite Earths. What a shock! How original!
O.K. Here’s the poop. DC honchos Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, both exceptionally talented comics creators, are going to make “bombshell announcements about the future of Superman and the entire DC Universe” on Saturday, June 11th at the Hero Complex Film Festival. Maybe this time they’ll stick to it: if Geoff and Jim are behind it, there’s some cause for hope. If they stick to it.
Even though control of DC Comics has passed through several hands since the first Crisis, perhaps the concept of leaving well enough alone will grab somebody this time. The DC Universe has gone through so many needlessly confusing transformations a roadmap to the place would give M.C.. Escher vertigo. With a small “v.”
Good grief, I’m getting tired of writing this story. I’m going to link to the Los Angeles Times so you can get what’s passing for news here.
Syfy’s Craig Engler Responds To Fans Of ‘Stargate Universe’ In Wake Of Cancellation: There’s no easy way to go after this without picking on Craig, but it seems to me he’s oversimplifying things here. Still, a decent primer for the average person on many of the points that go into a cancellation, with lessons that can be applied to why your favorite comic book got the axe.
Free Comic Book Day 2011: A Look Back | The Beat – Torsten Adair gives a balanced look back at the long-term success over the last ten years, at something I still think should be focused at Halloween as well.
Everyone, after breakfast together at the hotel, arrived at the only full day of PULP ARK programming ready to learn and listen in the PULP ARK classrooms and panels. The information shared, the tips given, and the chance for fans and creators to talk to some of the leading New Pulp publishers and writers made the second day of PULP ARK one well worth remembering.
Covering the Panels and Classrooms in order-
Wayne Skiver and his son Victor!
9-10 AM-CLASSROOM-Wayne Skiver’s ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT DOC SAVAGE! This classroom’s title speaks for itself. AGE OF ADVENTURE Publisher and Doc Savage historian Wayne Skiver discussed many things Doc with several PULP ARK attendees and fans. Using visual aids of all sorts, Wayne delved into Doc’s history, impact and influence!
10-11 AM-PANEL-Meet Pro Se Productions!
From Left-Christina (Ken’s Fiance and hopefully future Pro Se Artist), Ken, Nancy, and Lee , Pro Se Creators!
PANELISTS Fuller Bumpers Barry Reese Lee Houston, Jr. Ken Janssens Nancy Hansen Erwin K. Roberts Pete Cooper Kicked off with a quick introduction by Tommy Hancock, the Pro Se Family of creators shared their histories, their concepts, and their creations with fans and other creators. Each discussed the properties they have with Pro Se, current plans, and future possibilities!
1-2:00 PM-CLASSROOM-ROB DAVIS-How to Pick a Pulp Scene to Illustrate
Rob Davis teaching Class!
A crucial part of the Pulp Experience, for Classic and New Pulp alike, is the involvement of an artist. Airship 27 Partner and Artist Extraordinaire Rob Davis gave pointers on how to determine which scene of a story to illustrate for the greatest impact and best compliment to the tale being told!
2-3:00 PM-AIRSHIP 27 PANEL-Writing New Classic Pulp Adventures Moderator – Ron Fortier
Airship Panel! From Left, Ron Fortier, Van Plexico, Bob Kennedy, Art Sippo, Barry Reese, Bobby Nash
PANELISTS Van Plexico Art Sippo Robert Kennedy Barry Reese Bobby Nash
Moderated by one of the first publishers and authors to break into New Pulp, this Panel focused on the ins and outs of creating, writing, and promoting New Pulp Adventures, stories that would appeal to all types, young and old, collector and fan, avid reader or curious passer-by! The minds and voices of this Panel are major forces in the movement that is known as New Pulp!
3-4:00 PM- CLASSROOM- TOMMY HANCOCK-History AND Pulp-Bringing Reality and Fiction Together
BOOK CAVE’s Ric Croxton(left) and Tommy Hancock
New Pulp Author and Publisher and Masters Level Historian Tommy Hancock discussed and explained the truth behind the adage ‘Reality is Stranger than Fiction’ and pointed out various points in World and US History that were more pulpy than any author could write. Hancock also illustrated how to best utilize History in Pulp and ways it would improve stories and increase interest.
From Left- BOOK CAVE’S Ric Croxton, Bobby Nash, Van Plexico, Wayne Reinagel
PANELISTS Wayne Reinagel Bobby Nash
Led by Van Plexico, the man who almost single-handedly pioneered Cosmic super hero tales in the New Pulp Movement, these three epic authors discussed very concepts of Super Heroes, what makes these stories Pulps, how to develop characters and ways to make Super Hero Pulp tales exciting, fast paced, and more engaging than comic books!
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?
Imagine this job – hunting down the lost and cool collectibles from movies, comics and any part of pop culture. Meet JOE MADALENA from the new SyFy series, HOLLYWOOD TREASURE, and listen to the stories he has! Plus more with the creators of RIESE THE SERIES on just what their new episodes will be!
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You heard it here first – RIESE THE SERIES is making the move to SyFy.com (and hopefully to the network itself). We sit down with the creators and stars to see just how the big move is going down. Plus THE HOBBIT is now two films and two TV shows get some extra love.
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Don’t forget that you can now enjoy THE POINT 24 hours a Day – 7 Days a week!. Updates on all parts of pop culture, special programming by some of your favorite personalities and the biggest variety of contemporary music on the net – plus there is a great round of new programs on the air including classic radio each night at 12mid (Eastern) on RETRO RADIO COMICMIX’s Mark Wheatley hitting the FREQUENCY every Saturday at 9pm and even the Editor-In-Chief of COMICMIX, Mike Gold, with his daily WEIRD SCENES and two full hours of insanity every Sunday (7pm ET) with WEIRD SOUNDS!
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE FOR FREE or go to GetThePointRadio for more including a connection for mobile phones including iPhone & Blackberrys.
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