Tagged: Doc Savage

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April 26, 2013
 
 
It was the largest, most ambitious, and most successful military operation ever attempted — and radio was there to cover it.
D-Day, the invasion of Normandy. It was the turning point of the war in Europe, the beginning of the end for the Axis as the Allies started their drive towards Germany. It was a momentous event that would change not only the course of World War II, but the history of the world. Radio Archives is pleased and proud to offer the complete and continuous NBC network coverage of the events of June 6 and 7, 1944.

Noted inspirational author Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, King Haakon VII of Norway, Premier Gerbandy of the Netherlands, Premier Pierlot of Belgium, and US Senators Clark, Barkley, White, Hill and Congresswoman Clare Boothe Luce speak, as does the President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. General Eisenhower speaks from SHAEF headquarters.
 
Regular NBC shows were included in the broadcast, “The Bob Hope Show”, “Fibber McGee & Molly”, “The Guiding Light”, “Vic & Sade”, “The Red Skelton Show”, “The Road of Life”, “Today’s Children”, “Ma Perkins”, “Pepper Young’s Family”, “Mary Noble, Backstage Wife”, “Stella Dallas”, “Lorenzo Jones”, “Young Widder Brown”, “When A Girl Marries” and “Front Page Farrell” among them.
 
Hear the events of the day as reported by Ben Grauer, Cesar Saerchinger, Charles F. McCarthy, David Anderson, Don Goddard, Don Hollenbeck, Ed Hocker, Edward R. Murrow, Elmer Peterson, George Wheeler, H. V. Kaltenborn, Herbert M. Clark, James Willard, John W. Vandercook, Louis P. Lockner, Lowell Thomas, Merrill Mueller, Morgan Beatty, Ralph Howard, Richard Harkness, Robert McCormick, Robert St. John, Tommy Traynor, W. W. Chaplin and Wright Bryan. Alex Dreier, in Chicago, recalled his experiences as the last western correspondent in Nazi Germany while Stanley Richardson offered an eyewitness account of the invasion from the Channel boats, and George Hicks reported from the beach-head itself!
These are recordings that many historians believe to be among the most valuable audio documents ever preserved. The NBC broadcasts — containing over 38 hours of continuous programming of news, music, drama, comedy, and entertainment — are history as it happened, in a special collection that is sure to occupy a special place in your radio collection. 38 hours. Normally priced at $113.98 Audio CDs / $56.99 Download, D-Day is Specially priced through the month of June at only $99.98 Audio CDs / $49.99 Download.
 
 
On June 6, 2004, in remembrance of the 60th anniversary of the Normandy invasion, the ABC Radio program Perspective featured a fascinating story detailing radio’s coverage of D-Day as it happened in 1944. Written, edited, and narrated by ABC reporter Chuck Sivertsen, the feature utilized clips from the D-Day collection described above. We think this in-depth and well-presented piece provides an excellent overview of the historic content of this collection.
 
 
Will Murray’s Pulp Classics #24
by Harold Ward, under the pseudonym of Zorro
Read by Joey D’Auria. Liner Notes by Will Murray
 
 

Doctor Death and his Zombie army return for a new stab at conquering the civilized world. This time, he sets out to shrink of the size of government in Washington, D.C.—one politician at a time!
 
The horror commences when a box no bigger than a Christmas package arrives at the White House. Inside, lies the grisly corpse of the Vice President of the United States—gruesomely reduced to tiny size! With it, a chilling note:
 
Abdicate. Turn the nation over to me. Make no move against me or he who is next to you will share a like fate.
                                                                                                                                    — Doctor Death
 
In the Oval office, with the U. S. President and Jimmy Holm, head of the Secret Twelve, looking on in horror, the Secretary of State begins to shrink to the size of a doll…
 
So begins The Shriveling Murders, Harold Ward’s manic third entry in Dell’s Doctor Death series. This one has it all. Zombies. Doom rays. More Zombies. Poisoned postage stamps. Wholesale slaughter. Zombies galore! Doctor Death pulls out all the stops in this one!
 
The Shriveling Murders was published in the third and final issue of Dell’s Doctor Death magazine back in 1935.
 
Narrated with manic intensity by Joey D’Auria, The Shriveling Murders takes the reader from the nation’s capital to the sinister swamps of the South on a roller coaster ride through over-the-top terror.  6 hours $23.98 Audio CDs / $11.99 Download.
 
 
 
 
RadioArchives.com and Will Murray are giving away the downloadable version of the newly released Strange Detective Mysteries audiobook for FREE.
 
If you prefer the Audio CDs to play in your car or home CD player, the coupon code will subtract the $11.99 price of the download version from the Audio CDs. That makes the Audio CDs half price.
 
Add Strange Detective Mysteries to the shopping cart and use the Coupon Code AUDIOBOOK.
 
“Strange Detective Mysteries #1 is one of my favorite pulps and I am excited to produce it as an audiobook with my good friends at Radio Archives. It leads off with Norvell W. Page’s bizarre novelette, “When the Death-Bat Flies,” and includes thrilling stories by Norbert Davis, Paul Ernst, Arthur Leo Zagat, Wayne Rogers and others. Popular Publications went all-out to make this 1937 debut issue a winner. And they succeeded!”
 
Happy listening,
Will Murray
 
By Derrick Ferguson
 

It’s been said before and the reason it gets said so much is because it’s true: your imagination is the best special effects studio ever created. Give your brain the proper stimulus and it can create terrifying images that no amount of CGI can match. And I can think of no better stimulus than the voices of Joey D’Auria and Michael C. Gwynne as they read the stories in Terror Tales, a truly interesting audiobook for Radio Archives.
 
It’s interesting because it’s a step outside of their usual fare that I’ve been listening to and enjoying, such as the Doc Savage audiobooks and the ones featuring heroes like The Spider, The Green Lama, Operator #5 and others in two-fisted tales of white-hot action. The stories in Terror Tales are stories of horror that hooked me in mainly because of the unique approach to the telling of these tales by Mr. D’Auria and Mr. Gwynne.
 
Joey D’Auria starts off his stories in a calm, measured tone but as he gets more involved in the telling, his voice becomes more insistent, ever more excited as if he himself is caught up in the escalating nightmare of his own story. There’s a couple of stories that end up with Mr. D’Auria on a near hysteric note that conveys the hideous trauma of the characters in the story very well indeed. Listening to Mr. D’Auria tell his stories is like watching a marathon runner who starts out at a gentle jog and ends up crossing the finish line dripping sheets of cold sweat, crazy-eyed and barely able to breathe.
 
Michael C. Gwynne relates his stories in a more laid back manner, keeping his deep and stentorian voice level. And at certain moments he actually lowers his voice even more which had the effect of making me lean in even closer. You would think that by keeping his voice so even and steady, the story wouldn’t be very suspenseful but it’s actually the opposite. He wants you to pay close attention to the horrors he’s relating for maximum effect. And believe me, it works.
 
As always I’m thrilled by the production values of this latest audiobook as they easily are equal to the rest of the terrific Radio Archives audiobook line. Having Joey D’Auria and Michael C. Gwynne alternate on the stories is a wonderful idea and I hope that if there are more audiobooks of Terror Tales to come, they’ll be part of it.
 
 
 
 
New Will Murray’s Pulp Classics eBooks
 
The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge eBooks! Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your eReader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator #5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like the Octopus and Captain Satan. Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday’s Pulp today!
 
Through the chill darkness a deluge of death swept over New York — and men died mysteriously with their brains battered in as the terror struck! For a new, frightful master of the underworld had risen, to paralyze the police and empty the city’s treasure coffers. Over a long period, Richard Wentworth, with the Spider’s weird weapons, had fought those master criminals whom the law could not reach. But never before had he been compelled to challenge the rule of a ruthless raider who left a great metropolis sacked and plundered as he rose to the heights of an emperor, evil and powerful — invincible in his systematic scheme of slaughter and destruction! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.
 
 

To the teeming city of the Golden Gate the sinister Doctor Yen Sin had transferred his base of operations — and there, under cover of the fog-shrouded Frisco night, he set loose the most ghastly weapon in his whole armory of mysterious torture devices — the curse of the Singing Mummies. In ten minutes by the clock, to the accompaniment of that insidious, eerie music, living men and women underwent their ghastly metamorphosis, became fit occupants for the coffin-cases of ancient Egypt. How could the saffron-skinned crime-emperor accomplish the change? How could even Michael Traile, the Man Who Never Slept, hope to cope with the devilish Thing?Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.

 
In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a collection of stories from the pages of Terror Tales magazine by Frances Bragg Middleton and Raymond Whetstone, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 
99 cent eBook Singles
Each 99 cent eBook Single contains a single short story, one of the many amazing tales selected from the pages of Terror Tales and Rangeland Romances. These short stories are not included in any of our other eBooks.
 
What would you do if you knew the ones you loved were doomed to die horribly in your defense? In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
Lester Emery feared that his body remained in the laboratory, while his disembodied spirit was driven forth to murder — slave to the grim genius of a madman… In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
From nowhere came the hand — bringing with it a lingering death… In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
 
Blonde Truly couldn’t keep her kiss-ban against that cowboy Dave — not even when sultry Garnet ran engaging interference. She thought Dave’s kisses delightfully habit-forming — and so did his sultry fiancee. One of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.
 
To cover the escapades of her willful young sister, beautiful Donna let herself be branded a ruthless heart thiefOne of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.
 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, now available at:
 
 
Search for RadioArchives.com in iTunes.
 
 
 
 
Receive an exciting original Spider adventure FREE! Part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line, The Spider #11, Prince of the Red Looters first saw print in 1934 and features his momentous battle with The Fly and his armies of crazed criminal killers.
 
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps, this is a perfect chance to give one of these fantastic yarns a real test run. With a full introduction to the Spider written by famed pulp historian and author Will Murray, The Spider #11 was written by one of pulp’s most respected authors, Norvell W. Page. Writing as Grant Stockbridge, Page’s stories included some of the most bizarre and fun takes on heroes and crime fighting in the history of escapist fiction.
 
Even today Page’s scenarios and his edge-of-the-seat writing style are still thrilling both new and old fans everywhere. For those who have never read one of these rollercoaster adventures, you are in for a thrill. If you already know how much fun a classic pulp is, make sure you get a copy of this classic.
 
See what the Total Pulp Experience is for yourself. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine.
 
Send an eMail to eBooks@RadioArchives.com and start reading your FREE copy of  the Spider #11 within seconds! Experience The Best Pulps the Past has to offer in the most modern way possible!
 
 
 

A special issue celebrating the origin of the Master of Men! First, it’s the story that started it all: “The Spider Strikes”, from “The Spider Magazine”, Issue #1, released in October of 1933. In this epic adventure, join Richard Wentworth III (alias The Spider), along with his fiancee Nita van Sloan and his faithful servants, as they struggle to save the nation from a criminal genius. Introduced here is the secret of The Spider’s seal and many of the tricks and devices that will serve him so well in the many stories to come. Next, in “Satan’s Workshop” (1937), who is kidnapping and extorting money from the city’s wealthiest men and most beautiful women? Was it science or sorcery that gave an ordinary and healthy man a severe case of leprosy? While the police close in on The Spider’s secret identity, the villainous Doc seems immune from police prosecution, but not from web of The Spider! These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. On sale for $12.95, save $2.00

80th Anniversary Commemorative Special. Commemorating the Man of Bronze’s anniversary with two expanded novels, restored from Lester Dent’s original manuscripts with never-before-published text! First, a Wall Street scandal sets the Man of Bronze on the golden trail of “The Midas Man,” who plots to control the global financial system. Then, while recovering from a serious head wound, a disoriented Doc Savage battles modern-day pirates and murderous zombies in “The Derelict of Skull Shoal.” PLUS: “80 Years of Doc Savage”: a Pictorial History of the Pulps’ Greatest Superman! This landmark collector’s edition features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.

 

80th Anniversary Commemorative Special. Commemorating the Man of Bronze’s anniversary with two expanded novels, restored from Lester Dent’s original manuscripts with never-before-published text! First, a Wall Street scandal sets the Man of Bronze on the golden trail of “The Midas Man,” who plots to control the global financial system. Then, while recovering from a serious head wound, a disoriented Doc Savage battles modern-day pirates and murderous zombies in “The Derelict of Skull Shoal.” PLUS: “80 Years of Doc Savage”: a Pictorial History of the Pulps’ Greatest Superman! This landmark collector’s edition features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.

 
 
The Master of Darkness explores mansions of murder in two thrilling pulp mysteries by Walter Gibson writing as “Maxwell Grant.” First, in Spoils of The Shadow a mastermind plots five super-crimes, but innocent victims will be murdered if The Shadow intervenes! Then, the Master of Darkness sheds light on the terrible secret of the House of Silence in one of Walter Gibson’s most atmospheric mysteries. This instant collector’s item showcases both classic pulp covers by George Rozen and the original interior illustrations by Tom Lovell, with commentary by popular culture historian Will Murray. $14.95.
 

The original “Man of Steel” returns in three action-packed pulp thrillers by Paul Ernst and Emile Tepperman writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, The Avenger is blamed when massive power outages black out North America. Can Dick Benson locate the mastermind called Nevlo in time to prevent a deadly final blackout? Then, Death in Slow Motion cripples an American industry, and Justice, Inc. must find an antidote in time to save hundreds from the deadly paralysis plague! Finally, a defeated crook returns to plot Vengeance on The Avenger in an exciting novelette by Spider-wordsmith Emile Tepperman. This classic pulp reprint includes both color covers by Graves Gladney, Paul Orban’s dynamic interior illustrations and commentary by pulp historian Will Murray. $14.95.
 
This is an authentic replica of an original pulp magazine published by Girasol Collectables. This edition is designed to give the reader an authentic taste of what a typical pulp magazine was like when it was first issued – but without the frailty or expense of trying to find a decades-old collectable to enjoy. The outer covers, the interior pages, and the advertisements are reprinted just as they appeared in the original magazine, left intact to give the reader the true feel of the original as well as an appreciation for the way in which these publications were first offered to their avid readers. To further enhance the “pulp experience”, this edition is printed on off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look while, at the same time, assuring that this edition will last far longer than the original upon which it is based. The overall construction and appearance of this reprint is designed to be as faithful to the original magazine as is reasonably possible, given the unavoidable changes in production methods and materials. $25.00
 
Will Murray’s Monumental New Novel
Doc Savage vs. King Kong!
 
Eighty years ago in February, 1933 the Street & Smith company released the first issue of Doc Savage Magazine, introducing one of the most popular and influential pulp superheroes ever to hit the American scene. Doc Savage was the greatest adventurer and scientist of his era, and while his magazine ended in 1949, he influenced the creators of Superman, Batman, Star Trek, The Man from UNCLE and the Marvel Universe—to name only a few.
 
While that first issue of Doc Savage was fresh on Depression newsstands, RKO Radio Pictures released one of the most important fantasy films of all time. Everyone knows the story of how King Kong was discovered on Skull Island and hauled back to New York in chains, only to perish tragically atop the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building.
 
As it happened, that was where Doc Savage had his world headquarters. For decades, fans have wondered: Where was Doc the day Kong fell?
 
On the eightieth anniversary of these fictional giants, Altus Press is proud to release the first authorized clash between The Man of Bronze and the Eighth Wonder of the World—Doc Savage: Skull Island. Written by Will Murray in collaboration with Joe DeVito, creator of KONG: King of Skull Island, Doc Savage: Skull Island is a new pulp epic.
 
The story opens when Doc returns from his secret retreat in the North Pole to discover the cold corpse of Kong lying on his doorstep.
 
“I know this creature,” Doc tells his dumbfounded men.
 
Tasked to dispose of the remains, the Man of Bronze then relates the untold story of his epic encounter with Kong back in 1920, after Doc returns from service in World War I, long before Kong became known to the civilized world as “King” Kong.
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is a multi-generational story in which Doc and his father—the man who placed him in the hands of scientists who made him into a superman—sail to the Indian Ocean in search of Doc’s grandfather, the legendary Stormalong Savage, whose famous clipper ship has been discovered floating, deserted, her masts snapped by some incredible force.
 
The quest for Stormalong Savage leads to the fog-shrouded Indian Ocean and—Skull Island! There, Doc Savage faces his first great test as he encounters its prehistoric dangers and tangles with the towering, unstoppable Kong.
 
“When Joe DeVito brought this idea to me,” says Will Murray, “I knew it had to be written with reverence for both of these immortal characters. So I used the locale of Skull Island to tell a larger story, an untold origin for Doc Savage. It all started back on Skull Island….”
 
“Pulling off the first ever face-off between Doc Savage and King Kong was both challenging and exhilarating,” adds DeVito. “Will’s unique take on the tale scatters the primordial mists surrounding Skull Island long enough to reveal secrets of both classic characters hidden since their creation.”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island has already been hailed as “The Doc Savage novel that Doc fans have been waiting on for 80 years!”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is the fifth entry in Altus Press’ popular Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series. Cover by Joe DeVito. $24.95.
 
 
Review of The Corpse Cargo from The Spider, Volume 10
By Andrew Salmon
 
I’ll admit that when I first dove into The Corpse Cargo I did not have high hopes. The Spider novels are grim, gritty, lean and mean action adventure tales with a pace that moves at a steady clip whether it be an action sequence, dialogue or character moments. Everything happens with frenetic verve so giving Richard Wentworth a boy sidekick did not seem to this reader to be in keeping with the intense maelstrom of addictive chaos typical of any of the truly great Spider yarns. However, after the first couple of chapters, I knew that I was in familiar Spider territory.
 
This one was heavy stuff. By the time I was finished, The Corpse Cargo had catapulted into my Top 5 Spider adventures of all time!
 
The action is unrelenting in this one, unwavering and the modern-day (1930s) pirates, led by a beautiful and deadly sociopath who calls herself Captain Kidd, are some of the most heinous villains the Spider has ever faced. Their plan is simple: having harnessed electricity, they are using it to electrify passing trains and planes, killing all aboard, then looting the corpses. Hence the title. And, in the case of the trains, then hurtling the train full of corpses full speed into stations for the sake of inflicting as much damage as they can. The pirates’ raid on one train load full of people is one of the best sustained, most unforgettable action sequences in the history of pulp fiction, new or old, and it is one no reader will ever forget.
 
This adventure also sees the Spider and his love, Nita, fall into the gang’s clutches, leaving them with only deadly decisions before them and no chance of escape. The intensity level, always high in a Spider yarn, gets ratcheted up here to epic proportions. Emotions run high and you will be on the edge of your seat as you tear your way through the yarn.
 
Norvell Page, writing under the house name Grant Stockbridge, was one of the best pulp fictioneers of the day and his style is as fresh today in our world of grim, in-your-face action as anything modern masters can muster. The Corpse Cargo hits the ground running and does not let up.
 
This novel enthralls. It’s as simple as that. Do. Not. Miss. It. My highest recommendation.
 
Girasol Replica #GC181 $35.00 / eBook #RE027 $2.99 / Double Novel reprint #10 #5510 $14.95 On sale for $12.95, save $2.00 / Audiobook Audio CDs $27.98 / Audiobook Download $13.98
 
 
Comments From Our Customers!
 
John Weiser of Honolulu radio fame writes:
When I am driving around these days, I energize the Captain Zero stories. The phrasing and modulation of the pulp-like adjectives totally capture my brain. That’s how it starts. But then, I get drawn into the story line, and I find myself stalled at my destination with the engine running, unable to leave my vehicle while Captain Zero is trapped on a ledge adjacent to a roof garden. Finally he makes it home just as the sun is emerging. I resist the temptation to proceed to the next chapter and switch off the player. It’s really good stuff, Mr. Gwynne.
 
Andy Wood from England writes:
Utterly WOW! Oh my goodness!!! Have Gun, Will Travel has forever been one of my favourite radio classics and I’m very familiar with every episode from constant re-listening over the years. Some have been decent sound others pretty bad but I grew to love them despite this, “knowing” that’s the best there was available. Then THIS!
 
I almost got a lump in my throat hearing these versions which are so perfect, they sound like they’ve just been transcribed!!! I’m awestruck! This gives me so much hope for other great programs that I figured were never going to be upgraded sound-wise!
 
Alan Clark writes:
Thanks VERY much!  The e-book is gorgeous!  I cannot wait to read it. I see that you have Black Bat #1.  I can’t wait to get that, too!
 
If you’d like to share a comment with us or if you have a question or a suggestion send an email to Service@RadioArchives.com. We’d love to hear from you!
 

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Ron Ely Talks Tarzan, Doc Savage and Heroes

Ron Ely - WACIn the late 1960s and early 70s, few actors stood as tall in their heroic roles as Ron Ely.

From television’s Tarzan to the big screen’s Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, Ely’s 6-foot-4-inch muscular frame made the scenery cower when he stepped before a camera.

The 74-year-old actor stands just as tall today, commanding audiences with his tales of those golden days of pulp fiction on film. Warner Archive Collection has brought Ely’s best-loved roles back into the
spotlight, making the classic titles available on DVD and through its new live-streaming service, Warner Archive Instant.

Premiering on NBC in 1966, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ immortal creation, Tarzan, took to the nation’s TV screens for the first time. Still in the capable hands of producer Sy Weintraub, the TV Tarzan (the
aforementioned Mr. Ely) continued the more recent (and more authentic) interpretation of Lord Greystoke as a sophisticated, articulate jungle adventurer as seen in the Tarzan films of Gordon Scott, Jock Mahoney and Mike Henry. Also carried over from the big screen was young actor Manuel Padilla (Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, Tarzan and the Great River), now playing the jungle lord’s kid sidekick alongside Cheetah, the simian one.

TV-TarzanBased on the first of Kenneth Robeson’s 181 adventure packed books, Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze hit the screen with all its gee-whiz, gung-ho spirit intact. And its bold protagonist, who along with having a herculean body is also a surgeon, linguist and inventor, remains determined to do right to all and wrong to no one. Ely plays the strapping Savage in this high-camp, big-heroics tale of his trek into the Valley of the Vanished to confront the power-hungry Captain Seas (Paul Wexler). And behind the camera are pros who know how to get the most out of this entertainment bronze mine: veteran fantasy film producer George Pal (The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine) and director Michael Anderson (Around the World in 80 Days, Logan’s Run).

Once reluctant to embrace his cult hero status, Ely has joined Warner Archive Collection at two major events over the past six months – at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, and WonderCon in Anaheim – to celebrate those cherished productions of 40-plus years ago.

In addition to Ely’s starring roles, Warner Archive Collection is now offering a number of classic films and television series representative of the pulp heroes of yesteryear. Included amongst those productions are the Tarzan Collections (the most recent featuring films of the 1960s: Tarzan Goes to India, Tarzan’s Three Challenges, Tarzan and The Valley of Gold, Tarzan and the Great River,
Tarzan and the Jungle Boy) and Bomba The Jungle Boy, Volume One.

DocSavageThe

Bomba release includes six of these rare films, which were released from 1949-51. Monogram pictures made an inspired choice when it opted to adapt the Stratemeyer Syndicate’s (Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift) series of books with Bomba the Jungle Boy and paired it up with Tarzan’s own now grown “Boy,” Johnny Sheffield. Under the leadership of newbie producer Walter Mirisch, the series skillfully blends stock photography, imaginative scripts and teen romance to deliver A-list fun on a B-list budget (and proving to be a smash hit for the studio). Fellow former child-star Peggy Ann Garner
provides for Bomba’s jungle distraction in the inaugural installment, while other guests of note to be found in the first six films in the series include Allene Roberts, Donald Woods, Paul Guilfoyle, Sue
England, Woody Strode, and Donna Martell. Silent-to-TV-era journeyman Ford Beebe directs all six.

But back to Mr. Ely, who took some time in conjunction with his appearance at WonderCon over Easter weekend to answer a few questions. Heed the words of Tarzan …

QUESTION: What are you impressions of pulp heroes?

RON ELY: When I was a kid, we had radio, we had Saturday morning serials, and we had comic books. It wasn’t like today – we had a limited array of things, but those things especially appealed to kids. I loved comic books, and I read a lot of them. Archie, Superman, Captain Marvel – those types.

Part and parcel of being a kid back then was to latch onto larger than life heroes. It wasn’t until we became adults that our hero image became more adult and humanized with flaws. Back then, they had no flaws – our heroes were the biggest, the baddest, and the most honorable. All those principles set in motion everything that followed suit for me.
Doc Savage was one of the most successful series of books – the character was one of the triumvirate of great action heroes, along with Tarzan and Superman. Those three really set the standard for pulp
heroes. It’s interesting that Warner Archive has all three of them – they’re like a superhero factory. I can’t think of anybody that can compare.

QUESTION: As a kid, who were your heroes?

ELY: I grew up in Amarillo, Texas, so my heroes were cut from the same cloth that I saw all around me. Cowboys like John Wayne and Bob Mitchum. One of the joys of getting into this business was that I
actually got to know some of my heroes. Those western, heroic characters occupied my interests in film more than any others. I loved the comic book and pulp heroes, but for me, you couldn’t beat John
Wayne.

QUESTION: What does it mean to you to be a hero?

ELY: It’s sort of a funny thing being called a hero, because it’s not something I wanted to do. But it just kept coming for me. I don’t really understand why, but I appreciate it because I think it might
have grown out of my sticking to the solid, basic principles I learned growing up. Those important characteristics tend to exist more in the superhero characters than other flawed adult characters. I always enjoyed playing the flawless characters because, whereas some folks find them corny, I appreciate the morals, the lessons, and all those things that superheroes are designed to be and represent.

QUESTION: What has prompted you to come out of your shell a bit and embrace the fans and the fan conventions?

ELY: I used to hate being around the fans – I avoided it like the plague. I enjoyed the anonymity. That’s why I pretty well dropped off the face of the Earth for quite a long time. But getting back out into the public again has been one of the most rewarding experiences that I can imagine. Those fans are diehard. They hang on, they don’t let go. They believe in Doc and Tarzan – they believe in them in a way that makes you want to know more about them.

It was surprising to me to find out the fans are still there, to discover the fan base is so enormous. It surprised to see younger people in that mix who weren’t around when I made Tarzan. It’s a kick for me. I enjoy seeing those people and hearing what they have to say. They embrace these characters for the right reasons. It’s not a character like in Die Hard – characters like Doc Savage, Tarzan and Superman are more pure superheroes. There’s a special group of characters, and a special group of people that remain true to those characters as fans.

Doc Savage: His Revised Apocalyptic Life

Not actual cover

Meteor House is proud to announce a new edition of Philip José Farmer’s landmark biography, Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life, is now available for preorder and will be available in July 2013 with a cover by Doc Savage cover artist Joe DeVito!

PRESS RELEASE:

Back in print for the first time in over 30 years, Philip José Farmer’s biography of the bronze crusader who fought almost 200 separate battles against the forces of evil “is ingenious, sardonic, adulatory, outrageous and funny in turn.” (Publisher’s Weekly)

Philip José Farmer, biographer of Lord Greystoke, has turned his superb research and narrative skills to one of the greatest heroes of our time: Doc Savage, the bronze champion of justice. Now, at last, the incredible life story of the real man behind the exploits in the Doc Savage pulp novels can be told, including: his true name (Dr. James Clarke Wildman, Jr.); his family background, covering his relationship to such stalwarts as Lord Greystoke, Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, James Bond, and Fu Manchu); detailed information on some of his most devilish opponents—John Sunlight, the Mystic Mullah, and Mr. Wail; a summation of some of Doc’s most amazing inventions; and biographies of the Fabulous Five—Monk, Ham, Renny, Long Tom, and Johnny—as well as the group’s Lady Auxiliary and Bronze Knockout, Doc’s own cousin Pat Savage!

Together with other data and brilliant deductions, Philip José Farmer offers an amazing account of this remarkable man’s astonishing career!

Available now for preorder, the newly revised edition of Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life also features a brand new foreword by Farmer and pulp expert Win Scott Eckert, updates to the “List of Doc Savage Stories” including the latest novels, and rare material culled from Mr. Farmer’s notes.

The deluxe hardcover edition arrives just in time for Doc’s 80th anniversary, and features tributes by other Farmer and Doc experts, including John Allen Small, Keith Howell, Rick Lai, Art Sippo, Christopher Paul Carey, and current Doc Savage writer Will Murray, as well as other bonus materials not seen in prior editions, such as:

Doc’s Coat of Arms, reconstructed by Win Scott Eckert and illustrated by Keith Howell, from notes by Philip José Farmer. A List of Doc Savage Comics by Win Scott Eckert and John Allen Small (a rundown of authorized Doc Savage comics which supplements Mr. Farmer’s “List of Doc Savage Stories”)
Writing Doc’s Biography by Philip José Farmer.

“Written with wit and charm, sprinkled with allusions, this is a book to delight both science fiction and mystery fans.” (Library Journal)

If you want a signed copy, be sure to read this:

All copies preordered by June 30th, 2013 will be signed by Win Scott Eckert at FarmerCon VIII / Pulpfest 2013. In addition, Meteor House will try to organize a signing by the bonus material contributors (John Allen Small, Keith Howell, Rick Lai, Art Sippo, Christopher Paul Carey, and Will Murray), who are available at FarmerCon VIII / Pulpfest 2013. (Hint: almost all of them are sure to be there!)

After FarmerCon VIII only unsigned copies of the book will be available to purchase.

NEW FROM RADIO ARCHIVES

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

 
April 12, 2013
 
 
The popular CBS Radio Workshop series is back with Volume 2! This seven hour set contains fourteen radio dramas, including children’s author, lyricist and playwright Edward Eager’s “The Toledo War”; an adaptation of the best-selling “The Little Prince”, Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s most famous work which was autobiographical; John Cheever’s “The Enormous Radio”, which allows a family to hear what goes on in their neighbors’ residences; “A Matter of Logic”, in which writer-director Anthony Ellis and announcer William Conrad, known to radio audiences as Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, struggle to deal with a script; “The Stronger”, the famous 1889 play by August Strindberg which consists of two characters, only one of whom speaks.
 
The CBS Radio Workshop debuted at the end of the Age of Classic Radio, which was a time of innovation and experimentation, especially in terms of radio drama. The broadcasts consisted of a variety of formats, including a folk ballad enacted with music and rhyme, an interview with Shakespeare and an analysis of satire.
 
The man behind CBS Radio Workshop, which debuted in 1956, was William Froug. Inspired directly by the work of Norman Corwin on the original Columbia Workshop, Froug put all the pieces together to produce a program that took the best of what had come before it and succeeded even further in production, performance and storytelling.
 
Premiering with a two-part adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, which was narrated by the author himself, with a score by famed film composer Bernard Hermann, Froug drew upon the works of many popular writers, including Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Sinclair Lewis, H. L. Mencken, Frederick Pohl, Thomas Wolfe, James Thurber and Robert Heinlein.
 
CBS Radio Workshop not only continued to push boundaries in terms of utilizing story, music, voice and more in exciting, modern ways, it broke new ground in radio drama. In short, the CBS Radio Workshop set the standard for modern audio drama.
 
Blending sound effects with story, music with voice, and quality with substance, the episodes on CBS Radio Workshop, Volume 2 shows how boundless storytelling can be with audio drama. 7 hours $20.98 Audio CDs / $10.49 Download.
 
 
Will Murray’s Pulp Classics #23
by Robert J. Hogan
Read by Michael C. Gwynne. Liner Notes by Will Murray
 
 
Popular Publications publisher Harry Steeger and writer Robert J. Hogan had scored a hit with G-8 and His Battles Aces in 1933. A year later, they put their heads together and concocted a crime series with a fantasy flare. They called it The Secret 6!
 
Steeger always credited the successful Park Avenue Hunt Club stories running in the pages of Detective Fiction Weekly as his main inspiration. But the types of stories he asked Robert J. Hogan to write smacked of the one and only Doc Savage. In a sense, The Secret 6 was a take off of Doc Savage and his men—but without the superhuman aspects of Doc. The title was lifted from a 1931 crime film. To insure that the first issue sold like hotcakes, they stole a little more of Street & Smith’s thunder by titling that debut novel The Red Shadow.  
 
The premise was simple. Framed for the crimes of the diabolical Red Shadow, a mystery man with a haunted past calling himself King breaks out of the Death House. Scouring the Underworld, he assembles a team of shadowy specialists who dedicate themselves to hunting down The Red Shadow. But The Red Shadow conceals a secret even The Secret 6 doesn’t suspect!
 
One major clue can be found in a list of the members of this new crime-busting organization: King, The Doctor, The Professor, The Key, The Bishop, Shakespeare and Luga. Yes. Seven men have banded together to become the fearless fugitives operating outside the law known as—The Secret 6! One will not survive…
 
Only four issues of The Secret 6 were ever published. But what a glorious run! The Red Shadow was followed by House of Walking Corpses, The Monster Murders and The Golden Alligator. Each succeeding novel was more fantastic than the one before. Collectively, they read like a dry run for Carleton E. Morse’s classic radio series, I Love a Mystery.
 
The Red Shadow is narrated with the headlong velocity of a locomotive by Michael C. Gwynne. Three action stories round out this first Secret 6 audiobook, all of them penned by Robert J. Hogan hiding under a blizzard of pseudonyms. 6 hours $23.98 Audio CDs / $11.99 Download.
 
 
RadioArchives.com and Will Murray are giving away the downloadable version of the newly released Strange Detective Mysteries audiobook for FREE.
 
If you prefer the Audio CDs to play in your car or home CD player, the coupon code will subtract the $11.99 price of the download version from the Audio CDs. That makes the Audio CDs half price.
 
Add Strange Detective Mysteries to the shopping cart and use the Coupon Code AUDIOBOOK.
 
“Strange Detective Mysteries #1 is one of my favorite pulps and I am excited to produce it as an audiobook with my good friends at Radio Archives. It leads off with Norvell W. Page’s bizarre novelette, “When the Death-Bat Flies,” and includes thrilling stories by Norbert Davis, Paul Ernst, Arthur Leo Zagat, Wayne Rogers and others. Popular Publications went all-out to make this 1937 debut issue a winner. And they succeeded!”
 
Happy listening,
Will Murray
 
 
 
New Will Murray’s Pulp Classics eBooks
 
The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge eBooks! Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your eReader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator #5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like the Octopus and Captain Satan. Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday’s Pulp today!
 
Weird, haunting, the murder-melody rang in the ears of New York — and all those who heard its sinister song died in the throes of raving madness! For a monstrous musician had mastered the city, holding the police and Underworld alike at bay. One by one, the men marked to die received the music-score with the printed notes that were tiny skulls — and none dared raise a hand to stay the red harvest. Yet Richard Wentworth, in the grim black garb of the Spider, struck at the unseen Terror — matching one courageous champion’s strength against the fabulous power of a madman who had found the way to murder men with a simple score of music! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.
 
 

It struck out of the night, a phantom monster whose blood-red shadow brought death to everyone it touched. New York was panic-stricken. Beneath its reign of terror, the police were helpless. But grimly, out of the list of victims, rose six men — six men who vowed to track the scarlet killer to a murder showdown! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.

 
In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a collection of stories from the pages of Terror Tales magazine by Arthur Leo Zagat, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 
99 cent eBook Singles
Each 99 cent eBook Single contains a single short story, one of the many amazing tales selected from the pages of Terror Tales and Rangeland Romances. These short stories are not included in any of our other eBooks.
 
What would you do if you knew the ones you loved were doomed to die horribly in your defense? In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
Lester Emery feared that his body remained in the laboratory, while his disembodied spirit was driven forth to murder — slave to the grim genius of a madman… In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
From nowhere came the hand — bringing with it a lingering death… In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
 
Miles from the wagon train and afoot in hostile Indian country, Linda found herself alone at night with her sister’s sweetheart. Linda feared this handsome buckskin man, but she feared her own heart more — for she knew she’d give it to him… for the asking! One of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.
 
When vibrant Marta met Noah Conrad she knew that she would have to come out of her shell of indifference and match wits and kisses with a soft, cuddly, starry-eyed belle. One of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.
 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, now available at:
 
 
Search for RadioArchives.com in iTunes.
 
 
 
 
Receive an exciting original Spider adventure FREE! Part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line, The Spider #11, Prince of the Red Looters first saw print in 1934 and features his momentous battle with The Fly and his armies of crazed criminal killers.
 
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps, this is a perfect chance to give one of these fantastic yarns a real test run. With a full introduction to the Spider written by famed pulp historian and author Will Murray, The Spider #11 was written by one of pulp’s most respected authors, Norvell W. Page. Writing as Grant Stockbridge, Page’s stories included some of the most bizarre and fun takes on heroes and crime fighting in the history of escapist fiction.
 
Even today Page’s scenarios and his edge-of-the-seat writing style are still thrilling both new and old fans everywhere. For those who have never read one of these rollercoaster adventures, you are in for a thrill. If you already know how much fun a classic pulp is, make sure you get a copy of this classic.
 
See what the Total Pulp Experience is for yourself. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine.
 
Send an eMail to eBooks@RadioArchives.com and start reading your FREE copy of  the Spider #11 within seconds! Experience The Best Pulps the Past has to offer in the most modern way possible!
 
 
 
Will Murray’s Monumental New Novel
Doc Savage vs. King Kong!
 
Eighty years ago in February, 1933 the Street & Smith company released the first issue of Doc Savage Magazine, introducing one of the most popular and influential pulp superheroes ever to hit the American scene. Doc Savage was the greatest adventurer and scientist of his era, and while his magazine ended in 1949, he influenced the creators of Superman, Batman, Star Trek, The Man from UNCLE and the Marvel Universe—to name only a few.
 
While that first issue of Doc Savage was fresh on Depression newsstands, RKO Radio Pictures released one of the most important fantasy films of all time. Everyone knows the story of how King Kong was discovered on Skull Island and hauled back to New York in chains, only to perish tragically atop the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building.
 
As it happened, that was where Doc Savage had his world headquarters. For decades, fans have wondered: Where was Doc the day Kong fell?
 
On the eightieth anniversary of these fictional giants, Altus Press is proud to release the first authorized clash between The Man of Bronze and the Eighth Wonder of the World—Doc Savage: Skull Island. Written by Will Murray in collaboration with Joe DeVito, creator of KONG: King of Skull Island, Doc Savage: Skull Island is a new pulp epic.
 
The story opens when Doc returns from his secret retreat in the North Pole to discover the cold corpse of Kong lying on his doorstep.
 
“I know this creature,” Doc tells his dumbfounded men.
 
Tasked to dispose of the remains, the Man of Bronze then relates the untold story of his epic encounter with Kong back in 1920, after Doc returns from service in World War I, long before Kong became known to the civilized world as “King” Kong.
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is a multi-generational story in which Doc and his father—the man who placed him in the hands of scientists who made him into a superman—sail to the Indian Ocean in search of Doc’s grandfather, the legendary Stormalong Savage, whose famous clipper ship has been discovered floating, deserted, her masts snapped by some incredible force.
 
The quest for Stormalong Savage leads to the fog-shrouded Indian Ocean and—Skull Island! There, Doc Savage faces his first great test as he encounters its prehistoric dangers and tangles with the towering, unstoppable Kong.
 
“When Joe DeVito brought this idea to me,” says Will Murray, “I knew it had to be written with reverence for both of these immortal characters. So I used the locale of Skull Island to tell a larger story, an untold origin for Doc Savage. It all started back on Skull Island….”
 
“Pulling off the first ever face-off between Doc Savage and King Kong was both challenging and exhilarating,” adds DeVito. “Will’s unique take on the tale scatters the primordial mists surrounding Skull Island long enough to reveal secrets of both classic characters hidden since their creation.”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island has already been hailed as “The Doc Savage novel that Doc fans have been waiting on for 80 years!”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is the fifth entry in Altus Press’ popular Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series. Cover by Joe DeVito. $24.95.
 
 

Richard Wentworth, in the guise of his crime-fighting alter-ego, returns in two 1930s tales of The Spider. First, in “Wings of the Black Death” (1933), The Spider wages a desperate struggle against a foe fiendish enough to use bubonic plague as a weapon. While the tainted air swirls among the populace, bringing death to all it touches, a clever scheme is revealed to strip the nation of wealth and life. And the worst part? The Spider may be to blame! Then, in a stunning story from 1936, hundreds of citizens have suddenly been struck blind, including Nita van Sloan and The Spider himself. The mysterious Blind Man wields a terrible weapon that robs his victims of their sight, spreading suffering and terror with every step. Betrayed by his loyal retainer Jenkyns and robbed of his vision, how can Richard Wentworth possibly save New York from “Satan’s Sightless Legion” (1936)? These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. On sale for $12.95, save $2.00

80th Anniversary Commemorative Special. Commemorating the Man of Bronze’s anniversary with two expanded novels, restored from Lester Dent’s original manuscripts with never-before-published text! First, a Wall Street scandal sets the Man of Bronze on the golden trail of “The Midas Man,” who plots to control the global financial system. Then, while recovering from a serious head wound, a disoriented Doc Savage battles modern-day pirates and murderous zombies in “The Derelict of Skull Shoal.” PLUS: “80 Years of Doc Savage”: a Pictorial History of the Pulps’ Greatest Superman! This landmark collector’s edition features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.

 

80th Anniversary Commemorative Special. Commemorating the Man of Bronze’s anniversary with two expanded novels, restored from Lester Dent’s original manuscripts with never-before-published text! First, a Wall Street scandal sets the Man of Bronze on the golden trail of “The Midas Man,” who plots to control the global financial system. Then, while recovering from a serious head wound, a disoriented Doc Savage battles modern-day pirates and murderous zombies in “The Derelict of Skull Shoal.” PLUS: “80 Years of Doc Savage”: a Pictorial History of the Pulps’ Greatest Superman! This landmark collector’s edition features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.

 
 
The Master of Darkness explores mansions of murder in two thrilling pulp mysteries by Walter Gibson writing as “Maxwell Grant.” First, in Spoils of The Shadow a mastermind plots five super-crimes, but innocent victims will be murdered if The Shadow intervenes! Then, the Master of Darkness sheds light on the terrible secret of the House of Silence in one of Walter Gibson’s most atmospheric mysteries. This instant collector’s item showcases both classic pulp covers by George Rozen and the original interior illustrations by Tom Lovell, with commentary by popular culture historian Will Murray. $14.95.
 

The original “Man of Steel” returns in three action-packed pulp thrillers by Paul Ernst and Emile Tepperman writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, The Avenger is blamed when massive power outages black out North America. Can Dick Benson locate the mastermind called Nevlo in time to prevent a deadly final blackout? Then, Death in Slow Motion cripples an American industry, and Justice, Inc. must find an antidote in time to save hundreds from the deadly paralysis plague! Finally, a defeated crook returns to plot Vengeance on The Avenger in an exciting novelette by Spider-wordsmith Emile Tepperman. This classic pulp reprint includes both color covers by Graves Gladney, Paul Orban’s dynamic interior illustrations and commentary by pulp historian Will Murray. $14.95.
 
This is an authentic replica of an original pulp magazine published by Girasol Collectables. This edition is designed to give the reader an authentic taste of what a typical pulp magazine was like when it was first issued – but without the frailty or expense of trying to find a decades-old collectable to enjoy. The outer covers, the interior pages, and the advertisements are reprinted just as they appeared in the original magazine, left intact to give the reader the true feel of the original as well as an appreciation for the way in which these publications were first offered to their avid readers. To further enhance the “pulp experience”, this edition is printed on off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look while, at the same time, assuring that this edition will last far longer than the original upon which it is based. The overall construction and appearance of this reprint is designed to be as faithful to the original magazine as is reasonably possible, given the unavoidable changes in production methods and materials. $25.00
 
 
 
 

By Dr. Art Sippo

 
In the backwoods of Northern Michigan, a local bully, Bruno Hen, is found crushed to death in his own home. The doors were locked and he was well armed, but SOMETHING removed the roof of his log cabin and reached in to crush him like a bug. The bullies neighbor hears the commotion and comes to see what happened. He is horrified. Thick timbers had been snapped like matchsticks. All around the site were enormous tracks of some huge unknown creature. What could have done this? The neighbor knows that there is only one man who can solve this mystery: Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze. And so he goes to New York City to enlist Doc’s aid. But then he is gunned down in the hallway outside of Doc’s 86th floor aerie. Doc discovers news clippings on the man’s body describing the horrific scene of death at the cabin and he is drawn into the affair.
Then ads start appearing in Newspapers around the country warning that The Monsters are coming bringing death and destruction! All of these ads had been mailed from the same Michigan town where Bruno Hen was killed.
Doc Savage and his Iron Crew in the company of the beautiful lion tamer Jean Morris travel to rural Michigan and discover a huge walled compound with an electrified net draped over its top. They hear loud noises and suspicious rumblings. What is inside the compound? Who is the mysterious Pere Teston? What are The Monsters? Can even Doc Savage defeat creatures who can tear a building apart with their bare hands?
The Monsters was one of the earliest and most popular Doc Savage adventure. In fact is was so well done that it was the basis for the first story arc in Batman comics. This is one Super Saga you have to read! Double Novel reprint $12.95
 
Comments From Our Customers!
 
Carolyn H Andersen writes:
I am so happy that this has become available. Nelson Eddy is one of my two favorite baritones, and Dorothy Kirsten is also a favorite. I enjoy her visits to the Railroad Hour with my other favorite baritone.
 
Dennis E Henley writes:
Thanks for the quick service which is outstanding. I’ll be back to get more ebooks as I’m  only to happy to support a company that thinks of its customers first.
 
Eugene Dungan writes:
I just received two more of your Pulp Audiobooks in the mail today, I now have 26 of your Pulp Audiobooks. I have been very happy with your service that you have given me. I am looking forward to many more of your Pulp Audiobooks and I would like to see more Pulp Audiobooks of “The Spider”.
 
If you’d like to share a comment with us or if you have a question or a suggestion send an email to Service@RadioArchives.com. We’d love to hear from you!
 

The products you’ve read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you’ll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.
 
If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter, or if this newsletter has been sent to you in error, please reply to this e-mail with the subject line UN-SUBSCRIBE and your name will immediately be removed from our mailing list.
 

Radio Archives newsletter

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

 
March 29, 2013

Continuing to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of King Kong
Radio Archives has some great King Kong and Doc Savage products for you in the next couple months. Four exciting products in fact and you can order the third one, KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND today! Here’s Joe DeVito to tell you more:
It is 1957, twenty five years after King Kong’s fall from atop the Empire State Building. Carl Denham and the body of Kong vanished before any investigation could be launched, leaving rumor and speculation in their wake. Denham’s son, Vincent, was left behind. Now a paleontologist, he desperately searches for Kong’s Skull Island home, his father – and the truth.
 
Once there, Vincent becomes captive to an enigmatic island elder know as ‘Storyteller’. Her ancient tale of the islanders’ quest to escape a terrible fate mysteriously has the power to reach across time and change the destiny of both Vincent and Carl – if they survive. For at the nexus of every event is the beast-god of Skull Island: KING KONG

 

Created and Illustrated by Joe DeVito. Written by Brad Strickland with John Michlig
Read by Joey D’Auria. Liner Notes by Joe DeVito
 
 

In 1933, American showman Carl Denham returned from a mysterious, hidden island with a priceless treasure. A treasure not gold or jewels, but the island’s barbaric god, a monstrous anthropoid called “Kong.” The savage giant escaped and wreaked havoc among the man-made canyons of Manhattan, but within hours of the giant ape’s death his bodyand Carl Denhamdisappeared. Twenty-five years later, the son of Carl Denham makes a shocking discovery that leads him back to the site of his father’s greatest adventure and to the answers that will unlock the century’s greatest mystery and history’s greatest miracle. Authorized by the Cooper Estate and based on the original novel that inspired the all-time classic film. This new novel acts as both prequel and sequel to the classic fantasy tale, King Kong. Acclaimed fantasy artist Joe DeVito and top fantasy and science-fiction writer Brad Strickland join forces to make for an interactive visual-narrative storytelling experience unlike any other.
 
“Anyone who loves King Kong with Carl Denham and Ann Darrow in 1933 and hated DeLaurentis’ 1976 remake cannot help but love this new Kong book. Bravo!”
— Ray Bradbury
 
“I had never wondered before where King Kong came from, and how such a creature could exist, until I saw what Joe had sent. It was all a revelation to me.”
— James Bama
 
“Kong: King of Skull Island is the first—and for my money, only—addition to the Kong myth that does the original proud.”
— Arnle Fenner. Spectrum Fantastic Art
 
“I give this book a BIG two gorilla thumbs up and highly recommend it to anyone, especially, who wants to know more about the Eighth Wonder of the Wortd.”
— Bob Burns, Archivist of Fantastic Cinema
 
Read by the marvelous Joey D’Auria. 9 hours $35.98 Audio CDs / $17.99 Download.

 

 
 
The Kraft Music Hall began in 1933 as The Kraft Program, a radio music-variety show featuring orchestra leader Paul Whiteman, who was billed as “the King of Jazz” and who was arguably America’s first popular music superstar. Later hosted by Bing Crosby from 1936-1946. During the Al Jolson years, Nelson Eddy was the host of the summer show from 1947-1949.
 
Nelson Eddy, a classically trained baritone, is best remembered today for his nineteen films, particularly those with soprano Jeanette McDonald, who was Eddy’s co-star in eight musicals. His best-known film is Rose-Marie (1936), in which Eddy portrayed Sgt. Bruce, a steadfast Canadian Mountie that has been imitated and satirized, giving birth to the cartoon Dudley Do-right among others. The musical’s biggest hit, Indian Love Call, is so ubiquitous, selling over a million copies, that many who have not seen the film know the song. Eddy was the highest paid singer in the world in his heyday, earning $10,000 for a single concert.
 
In his last two seasons with The Kraft Music Hall, Eddy was joined by co-host Dorothy Kirsten. She was an operatic soprano who had debuted at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. After performing roles with a number of opera companies, Kirsten had her own radio program, Keepsakes, from 1943-1944.
 
Rounding out Eddy’s supporting cast were announcer Ken Carpenter, who had joined Bing Crosby in 1936 when the famous singer began his tenure as host of the show (Crosby called him “the man with the golden voice”) and continued to announce for Crosby on various programs for the following twenty-seven years, and; musical director Robert Armbruster, who joined the show in 1948. A conductor, composer, pianist and songwriter, he was featured in classical piano solos each week on the program.
 
The Kraft Music Hall Starring Nelson Eddy contains fourteen half-hour shows in Sparkling audio quality from the summer of 1948. Five of the shows are rare dress rehearsals. 7 hours $20.98 Audio CDs / $10.49 Download.

 

 

New Will Murray’s Pulp Classics eBooks

 
The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge eBooks! Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your eReader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator #5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like the Octopus and Captain Satan. Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday’s Pulp today!
 

From sinister Chinatown came the epidemic of terror that fell upon New York. For all over Manhattan defenseless citizens were dying with a Blood Orchid in their hearts! Through the rain of red petals that filled the sky, the Dragon screamed his ultimatum that death and destruction would walk the streets unless his word was heeded. From the resources of America — her brains and bullion — this monster planned to build an Eastern empire! With the city prostrate and the Law at bay, Richard Wentworth took up the challenge. In the Spider’s cloak of night, he struck at this Prince of Darkness — waging desperate battle against the strangest crime cavalcade and the most serious threat to civilization known in the history of modern man! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.

 

 
Sweeping westward down the Pacific slope, the Purple Emperor’s invading armies thundered to trap the last defending Americans between flaming guns and an ocean grave. Operator 5, with the audacity of desperation, launched a forlorn hope — a dazzling daring raid into the heart of the enemy’s lines. Here is the tale of the mad dash of his pitifully heroic handful of volunteers toward the great gun works where he might snatch victory from defeat. Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. As a special bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction especially for this series of eBooks. $2.99.
 

In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a collection of stories from the pages of Terror Tales magazine by Wayne Rogers, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 

99 cent eBook Singles
Each 99 cent eBook Single contains a single short story, one of the many amazing tales selected from the pages of Terror Tales and Rangeland Romances. These short stories are not included in any of our other eBooks.

While the orchestra played, my beloved Carla danced… But when it stopped, her loveliness became something that was unearthly and vile — and murderous! In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.

Could Conroy trust those savage charms to cure the girl who bleated like a goat? In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 

Did the very fiends of hell possess young William Arnold’s soul and body, that he should twine his clutching fingers about the throat of his own beloved bride? In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 

 

Judy knew that it wasn’t fair to a girl for Bart to kiss her gloriously… then let her learn of his plans to marry high-and-mighty Laurita. It just wasn’t fair — and impish Judy devised a sensational retribution! One of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.

 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, now available at:
 

 
Search for RadioArchives.com in iTunes.
 
 
 
 
 

Receive an exciting original Spider adventure FREE! Part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line, The Spider #11, Prince of the Red Looters first saw print in 1934 and features his momentous battle with The Fly and his armies of crazed criminal killers.
 
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps, this is a perfect chance to give one of these fantastic yarns a real test run. With a full introduction to the Spider written by famed pulp historian and author Will Murray, The Spider #11 was written by one of pulp’s most respected authors, Norvell W. Page. Writing as Grant Stockbridge, Page’s stories included some of the most bizarre and fun takes on heroes and crime fighting in the history of escapist fiction.
 
Even today Page’s scenarios and his edge-of-the-seat writing style are still thrilling both new and old fans everywhere. For those who have never read one of these rollercoaster adventures, you are in for a thrill. If you already know how much fun a classic pulp is, make sure you get a copy of this classic.
 

See what the Total Pulp Experience is for yourself. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine.
 
Send an eMail to eBooks@RadioArchives.com and start reading your FREE copy of  the Spider #11 within seconds! Experience The Best Pulps the Past has to offer in the most modern way possible!
 
 

 
An iPad book app of gargantuan proportions based on the original novel by Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland.
 
Available now through the iPad through the Apple App store and at www.copyright1957.com
 
Droid version available soon!
 
This digital version of the authorized prequel/sequel to the King Kong story takes you back to Skull Island for a dramatic telling of Kong’s origins and the civilization that built the Wall.
 
Based on DeVito’s 2004 illustrated print edition, abridged text scrolls manually over creatively combined views of the fantastic paintings and sketches from the original book with new imagery created specially for this app,
 
Together, with two latter day explorers, you find the island and view ancient murals and statues, then learn from the enigmatic Storyteller the story of the island’s past. Mysteriously, everyone is inextricably bound to the Storyteller’s tale. It tells of islanders Ishara and Kublai, and their quest to escape a terrible fate which threatens both themselves and their people. That struggle has the power to reach across time and change the destiny of all. If they survive. For at the nexus of every event is the beast-god of Skull Island: KING KONG.
 
A separate gallery of the illustrations and commentary from the original book are included. It’s a pulp-tastic production you’ll never forget!
 
 
Customer Reviews:
“Best app I have downloaded yet! Incredible visuals and a great story!”
 
“This is beyond awesome! I probably feel like those who saw the movie for the first time!”
 
“…this is something I’ve never seen before…a completely new way to experience a novel!”

for the ‘Doc Savage: Skull Island’ cover are now available direct from Joe DeVito!

Please go to either of these addresses for all the details:

http://www.kongskullisland.com/print.html

http://jdevito.com/print.html

 
 
 
 
 
 

Will Murray’s Monumental New Novel
Doc Savage vs. King Kong!
 
Eighty years ago in February, 1933 the Street & Smith company released the first issue of Doc Savage Magazine, introducing one of the most popular and influential pulp superheroes ever to hit the American scene. Doc Savage was the greatest adventurer and scientist of his era, and while his magazine ended in 1949, he influenced the creators of Superman, Batman, Star Trek, The Man from UNCLE and the Marvel Universe—to name only a few.
 
While that first issue of Doc Savage was fresh on Depression newsstands, RKO Radio Pictures released one of the most important fantasy films of all time. Everyone knows the story of how King Kong was discovered on Skull Island and hauled back to New York in chains, only to perish tragically atop the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building.
 
As it happened, that was where Doc Savage had his world headquarters. For decades, fans have wondered: Where was Doc the day Kong fell?
 
On the eightieth anniversary of these fictional giants, Altus Press is proud to release the first authorized clash between The Man of Bronze and the Eighth Wonder of the World—Doc Savage: Skull Island. Written by Will Murray in collaboration with Joe DeVito, creator of KONG: King of Skull Island, Doc Savage: Skull Island is a new pulp epic.
 
The story opens when Doc returns from his secret retreat in the North Pole to discover the cold corpse of Kong lying on his doorstep.
 
“I know this creature,” Doc tells his dumbfounded men.
 
Tasked to dispose of the remains, the Man of Bronze then relates the untold story of his epic encounter with Kong back in 1920, after Doc returns from service in World War I, long before Kong became known to the civilized world as “King” Kong.
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is a multi-generational story in which Doc and his father—the man who placed him in the hands of scientists who made him into a superman—sail to the Indian Ocean in search of Doc’s grandfather, the legendary Stormalong Savage, whose famous clipper ship has been discovered floating, deserted, her masts snapped by some incredible force.
 
The quest for Stormalong Savage leads to the fog-shrouded Indian Ocean and—Skull Island! There, Doc Savage faces his first great test as he encounters its prehistoric dangers and tangles with the towering, unstoppable Kong.
 
“When Joe DeVito brought this idea to me,” says Will Murray, “I knew it had to be written with reverence for both of these immortal characters. So I used the locale of Skull Island to tell a larger story, an untold origin for Doc Savage. It all started back on Skull Island….”
 
“Pulling off the first ever face-off between Doc Savage and King Kong was both challenging and exhilarating,” adds DeVito. “Will’s unique take on the tale scatters the primordial mists surrounding Skull Island long enough to reveal secrets of both classic characters hidden since their creation.”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island has already been hailed as “The Doc Savage novel that Doc fans have been waiting on for 80 years!”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is the fifth entry in Altus Press’ popular Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series. Cover by Joe DeVito. $24.95.
 
 

Pulp fiction’s Master of Men returns in two classic stories from 1938 and 1942. First, in City of Lost Men (1938), Manhattan’s guardians of the law are turned into drooling lunatics, leaving the city wide open to thieves and criminals. Who is behind this hideous menace? Can the afflicted be cured or are they doomed to insanity forever? Death is the only answer in this epic fight between the Master of the Mad and the Master of Men! Then, strange cat-like men are striking down their victims with a horrifying death-device that causes the doomed to wither away to nothing. A man with no face points a slender cane and a man dies. With his fiance Nita van Sloan enslaved within the Temple of Beauty, The Spider battles to save New York from the Gentleman From Hell (1942). These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. $14.95. On sale for $12.95, save $2.00

 

The Master of Darkness explores mansions of murder in two thrilling pulp mysteries by Walter Gibson writing as “Maxwell Grant.” First, in Spoils of The Shadow a mastermind plots five super-crimes, but innocent victims will be murdered if The Shadow intervenes! Then, the Master of Darkness sheds light on the terrible secret of the House of Silence in one of Walter Gibson’s most atmospheric mysteries. This instant collector’s item showcases both classic pulp covers by George Rozen and the original interior illustrations by Tom Lovell, with commentary by popular culture historian Will Murray. $14.95.
 

The original “Man of Steel” returns in three action-packed pulp thrillers by Paul Ernst and Emile Tepperman writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, The Avenger is blamed when massive power outages black out North America. Can Dick Benson locate the mastermind called Nevlo in time to prevent a deadly final blackout? Then, Death in Slow Motion cripples an American industry, and Justice, Inc. must find an antidote in time to save hundreds from the deadly paralysis plague! Finally, a defeated crook returns to plot Vengeance on The Avenger in an exciting novelette by Spider-wordsmith Emile Tepperman. This classic pulp reprint includes both color covers by Graves Gladney, Paul Orban’s dynamic interior illustrations and commentary by pulp historian Will Murray. $14.95.
 

 
The pulp era’s greatest superman returns in two action-packed novels by Lester Dent writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, what could cause an entire island to vanish into thin air? Doc Savage and his aides must unravel the strange secret of Mystery Island to save England from environmental armageddon. Then, the Man of Bronze (in a rare solo adventure) encounters a strange bearded giant floating in the Bay of Fundy. This double-novel collector’s edition leads off with a classic color cover by Emery Clarke, and showcases all of Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.
 
This is an authentic replica of an original pulp magazine published by Girasol Collectables. This edition is designed to give the reader an authentic taste of what a typical pulp magazine was like when it was first issued – but without the frailty or expense of trying to find a decades-old collectable to enjoy. The outer covers, the interior pages, and the advertisements are reprinted just as they appeared in the original magazine, left intact to give the reader the true feel of the original as well as an appreciation for the way in which these publications were first offered to their avid readers. To further enhance the “pulp experience”, this edition is printed on off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look while, at the same time, assuring that this edition will last far longer than the original upon which it is based. The overall construction and appearance of this reprint is designed to be as faithful to the original magazine as is reasonably possible, given the unavoidable changes in production methods and materials. $25.00
 
 
 
 
 

By John Olsen
 

“The Third Shadow” was originally published in the March 15, 1936 issue of The Shadow Magazine. A black cloaked figure of the night strikes again. But this singular mystery man is not The Shadow. And the eerie figure strikes not against crime, but strikes at gambling establishments, collecting loot for his own ends. Someone is impersonating The Shadow!
 
This pulp novel from 1936 offers an interesting twist on The Shadow, one that had not been seen before. But it was anticipated earlier by Police Commissioner Ralph Weston. Weston, you may remember, refused to believe in The Shadow in the early years of the pulp magazine. When Detective Joe Cardona reported being rescued by an uncanny cloaked personality, Weston would refuse to believe it was a single man. He argued that it could be the same man that Cardona had encountered before, or that it could be someone else dressed in black. There could be various personages appearing in black cloak and slouch hat. And finally, in this story, that is exactly what happens.
 
Some unknown impersonator is masquerading as The Shadow! In this story, author Walter Gibson examines what would happen if someone else should don the garb of black and appear in public as The Shadow. And what if this someone was a criminal? He could use the palpable fear generated by just the sight of the cloaked crimefighter, to his own nefarious ends. And what if a third Shadow appeared? What if some master criminal saw how effective the second Shadow could be, and decided to appropriate the scheme and expand upon it? Would the rightful Shadow, the scourge of the underworld, then lose his power? Could he do anything to stop the ever-growing crime wave? It’s this interesting premise upon which “The Third Shadow” is based.
 
The story opens with a simple crime. It’s a crime that The Shadow resolves in the first four chapters. Lucian Yorne was a jewelry salesman. He was murdered in his office; his jewels and cash stolen. The law was on the case, but overlooked certain angles that only The Shadow could see. It won’t be giving much away to reveal that Parlington, the butler, did it.
 
The Shadow confronts Parlington in the pantry. The butler quakes in fear at the sight of the man in black. The Shadow forces him to write out a confession. The hiss……
Double Novel reprint $12.95
 

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The products you’ve read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you’ll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.
 
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WHAT’S NEW FROM RADIO ARCHIVE?

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

 
March 15, 2013

Continuing to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Doc Savage and King Kong
Radio Archives has some great Doc Savage and King Kong products for you in the next couple months. Four exciting products in fact and you can order the second one, Doc Savage: The Forgotten Realm today! Here’s Will Murray to tell you more:
Last year, Altus Press reissued my 7th Doc Savage novel, The Forgotten Realm, after being out of print for nearly twenty years. Response to this tale of maddening mystery and mayhem was so positive that we decided to jump ahead In the more-or-less chronological release of my first Doc  Savage adventures and record The Forgotten Realm for Radio Archives. Here it is!

 

by Will Murray and Lester Dent writing as Kenneth Robeson
Read by Michael McConnohie.
 
 
Back in 1933, Lester Dent outlined a great Doc Savage story involving a lost city of Romans hidden in the African Congo. For reasons unknown, he abandoned the best part of his plans, taking the tale in a different direction, to another part of the world.
 
Sixty years later in 1993, Will Murray dusted off that plot and turned it into his seventh Doc novel, The Forgotten Realm. It’s the bizarre story of a mystery man who escaped from a Scottish madhouse, who embroils archeologist Johnny Littlejohn in a quest that ranges from the British Isles to the impenetrable core of the Dark Continent. And whenever Johnny swings into action, the mighty Doc Savage is not far behind!
 
Here is another riveting exploit of the superhuman Man of Bronze. This is pulp high adventure at its most exciting. Tricks and traps propel the plot. Not everyone is who he seems to be. The colorful cast includes the mysterious X Man, the brutal Waterloo O’Neil, the mystic Goona Bey, and lovely Princess Namora. Doc, Johnny, Monk and Ham are on hand to pit their powers against the forces of evil. As always, the thrilling narrative grips straight through to the ultimate climax, and the final reveal.
 
Before it’s all over, Doc Savage will struggle against marauding sea serpents, murderous rogues, and end up in a gladiatorial arena battling ferocious lions in the best tradition of Tarzan of the Apes. All to unravel the riddle of the enigmatic individual known as X Man—who may or may not be a survivor of a lost Roman outpost still operating as if time had passed it by. A place beyond the fabled Veil of Silence called Novum Eboracum, which translates as New York!
 
The multi-talented Michael McConnohie again brings another fantastic Doc Savage adventure to life, one that takes the listener on a roller coaster of thrills and perils that you won’t want to end. This is the Man of Bronze at his most magnificent, using his might and mechanical skill to battle across two continents to a satisfying pulp conclusion. 10 hours $39.98 Audio CDs / $19.99 Download.
 

 
 
A great mind ready to help humanity. A savage monster bent on death and destruction. And both are the same person. Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has thrilled and chilled readers for nearly two centuries in print, film, and on stage. One of the best adaptations of this classic tale of good and evil was actually for radio and the final 6 hours are now collected in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Volume 2 from Radio Archives.
 
The man behind Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was George Edwards and just the right person to bring this dynamic tale of split personality to life. An Australian actor and producer, Edwards lived many lives before coming to the career he is most known for. Vaudevillian, acrobat, stage actor, and comedian, Edwards shone brightest in bringing wonderful stories to life on Australian radio. The man behind other series, such as Afloat with Henry Morgan and Adventures of Marco Polo lent not only his production skills to Jekyll and Hyde, but shared his amazing vocal talents as well.
 
Edwards was well known as “The Man with a Thousand Voices.” Not only could he mimic multiple voices, Edwards could carry on complete conversations between characters he was playing. Many scenes in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with multiple characters are all voiced by George Edwards. Edwards also brought authenticity to the roles he played, able to reproduce any tone or accent with his voice, save that of children or young women. The amazing aspect of this was that when not in front of a microphone, Edwards often spoke with a stutter.
 
The final 24 episodes of this classic Radio serial are collected in Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde, Volume 2. Stevenson’s story, Edwards’ performance and production, and the intense pacing of each episode make Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Volume 2 a necessary part of any Classic Radio fan’s collection! 6 hours $17.98 Audio CDs / $8.99 Download.
 
 
 
 
 

 

New Will Murray’s Pulp Classics eBooks

 
The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge eBooks! Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your eReader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator #5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like the Octopus and Captain Satan. Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday’s Pulp today!
 

New York lay helpless under the heel of the Black Police, and when men dared oppose this ruinous reign of the Underworld, they were struck down by a frightful plague! Nowhere, it seemed, was there succor for the defenseless. Even the Federal Government, which had stepped in to hold a New Deal, was beaten by intimidated votes at the polls. In this moment, one mad hope dawned. For Richard Wentworth, as the Spider, had come down from his mountain retreat. With him was Stanley Kirkpatrick, former Commissioner of Police, and a whole fugitive legion of honest fighting men — sworn to take the law into their own hands and strike blow for blow against the most monstrous criminal set-up known to modern man! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.

 
With his last camp of honest fighting men scattered by the Black Police, and the Underworld’s Master in supreme control of the state — Richard Wentworth had reached trail’s end! For nowhere was their succor for the thousands of oppressed, and even a duped federal Government was arrayed against them. Yet it was now that Wentworth knew, alone and unaided, he must strike one final desperate blow. As the Spider, in the dread disguise of his crime-fighting role, he took his stand. There, facing the legions of the world’s mightiest mass-murderer, the Spider struck again and again — to raise the Empire State from the dust and free an entire, despairing people from the scourge of living death! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. As a special bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction especially for this series of eBooks. $2.99.

 
Purple armies from the prairies and a great Purple navy looming over the western horizon made ready to clamp the fetters of slavery on America’s last defenders. But a grim line of fighting men waited in the Emperor Rudolph’s path with a soldierly serenity that said, “Here we die.” And every life laid on this altar of freedom gave Jimmy Christopher, Operator 5 of the Intelligence, new respite as he followed a trail of desperate adventure studded with disgrace and death. Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. As a special bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction especially for this series of eBooks. $2.99.
 

In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a collection of stories from the pages of Terror Tales magazine by Arthur J. Burks, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 

99 cent eBook Singles
Each 99 cent eBook Single contains a single short story, one of the many amazing tales selected from the pages of Terror Tales and Rangeland Romances. These short stories are not included in any of our other eBooks.

A tale of one dark night’s adventure that you will not soon forget… In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.

When she saw savage blood-lust in the eyes of her lover, Nellie knew that he had become one of the lost children of the moon. In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.

Why should a man who loved his daughter, send her, long after his death, into the clutches of an unearthly creature of satanic passions? In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.

 

What secret horror was it that forced that group of fear-frozen people to hurl themselves, one by one, into the storm-lashed maw of the canyon far below?… In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 

Alice came to Robber’s Roost to write a story — and found herself the kiss-besieged heroine of a big bad wolf… and a guitar-strummin’ ghost. She got first-hand savvy on romantic plots — when a phantom desperado haunted her house… and her heart. One of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.

 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, now available at:
 

 
Search for RadioArchives.com in iTunes.
 
 
 
 
 

Receive an exciting original Spider adventure FREE! Part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line, The Spider #11, Prince of the Red Looters first saw print in 1934 and features his momentous battle with The Fly and his armies of crazed criminal killers.
 
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps, this is a perfect chance to give one of these fantastic yarns a real test run. With a full introduction to the Spider written by famed pulp historian and author Will Murray, The Spider #11 was written by one of pulp’s most respected authors, Norvell W. Page. Writing as Grant Stockbridge, Page’s stories included some of the most bizarre and fun takes on heroes and crime fighting in the history of escapist fiction.
 
Even today Page’s scenarios and his edge-of-the-seat writing style are still thrilling both new and old fans everywhere. For those who have never read one of these rollercoaster adventures, you are in for a thrill. If you already know how much fun a classic pulp is, make sure you get a copy of this classic.
 

See what the Total Pulp Experience is for yourself. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine.
 
Send an eMail to eBooks@RadioArchives.com and start reading your FREE copy of  the Spider #11 within seconds! Experience The Best Pulps the Past has to offer in the most modern way possible!
 
 

Will Murray’s Monumental New Novel
Doc Savage vs. King Kong!
 
Eighty years ago in February, 1933 the Street & Smith company released the first issue of Doc Savage Magazine, introducing one of the most popular and influential pulp superheroes ever to hit the American scene. Doc Savage was the greatest adventurer and scientist of his era, and while his magazine ended in 1949, he influenced the creators of Superman, Batman, Star Trek, The Man from UNCLE and the Marvel Universe—to name only a few.
 
While that first issue of Doc Savage was fresh on Depression newsstands, RKO Radio Pictures released one of the most important fantasy films of all time. Everyone knows the story of how King Kong was discovered on Skull Island and hauled back to New York in chains, only to perish tragically atop the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building.
 
As it happened, that was where Doc Savage had his world headquarters. For decades, fans have wondered: Where was Doc the day Kong fell?
 
On the eightieth anniversary of these fictional giants, Altus Press is proud to release the first authorized clash between The Man of Bronze and the Eighth Wonder of the World—Doc Savage: Skull Island. Written by Will Murray in collaboration with Joe DeVito, creator of KONG: King of Skull Island, Doc Savage: Skull Island is a new pulp epic.
 
The story opens when Doc returns from his secret retreat in the North Pole to discover the cold corpse of Kong lying on his doorstep.
 
“I know this creature,” Doc tells his dumbfounded men.
 
Tasked to dispose of the remains, the Man of Bronze then relates the untold story of his epic encounter with Kong back in 1920, after Doc returns from service in World War I, long before Kong became known to the civilized world as “King” Kong.
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is a multi-generational story in which Doc and his father—the man who placed him in the hands of scientists who made him into a superman—sail to the Indian Ocean in search of Doc’s grandfather, the legendary Stormalong Savage, whose famous clipper ship has been discovered floating, deserted, her masts snapped by some incredible force.
 
The quest for Stormalong Savage leads to the fog-shrouded Indian Ocean and—Skull Island! There, Doc Savage faces his first great test as he encounters its prehistoric dangers and tangles with the towering, unstoppable Kong.
 
“When Joe DeVito brought this idea to me,” says Will Murray, “I knew it had to be written with reverence for both of these immortal characters. So I used the locale of Skull Island to tell a larger story, an untold origin for Doc Savage. It all started back on Skull Island….”
 
“Pulling off the first ever face-off between Doc Savage and King Kong was both challenging and exhilarating,” adds DeVito. “Will’s unique take on the tale scatters the primordial mists surrounding Skull Island long enough to reveal secrets of both classic characters hidden since their creation.”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island has already been hailed as “The Doc Savage novel that Doc fans have been waiting on for 80 years!”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is the fifth entry in Altus Press’ popular Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series. Cover by Joe DeVito. $24.95.
 
 

The legendary Master of Men returns in two classic stories from one of the pulp era’s most popular magazines. First, in “Emperor of the Yellow Death” (1935), an exotic women of the East, as deadly as she is beautiful, is servant to a criminal genius. More ruthless than any of his Mongol ancestors, Wang-ba stages a villainous uprising designed to enslave all of America. To defeat him, Richard Wentworth, alias The Spider, must face hidden death-traps, hordes of maddened gunmen and a pool of man-eating turtles. Then, in “Slaves of the Burning Blade” (1941), is a foreign sabotage ring responsible for a recent reign of terror or is a criminal genius known as The Knife really to blame? Only The Spider knows for certain, but will he survive being hounded by both the police and a vigilante band known as the Knights of Liberty so as to reveal the truth? These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. $14.95. On sale for $12.95, save $2.00

 

The Master of Darkness teams with Scotland Yard’s Eric Delka in two thrilling tales of international intrigue by Walter Gibson writing as “Maxwell Grant.” First, The Shadow investigates an international spy ring with the assistance of “The Man from Scotland Yard” (in his first appearance). Then, The Shadow and Delka’s investigation of missing submarine plans sets them on the trail of the legendary Parisian super-criminal, Gaspard Zemba, in Walter Gibson’s all-time masterpiece of misdirection! This instant collector’s item showcases both classic pulp covers by George Rozen and all the original interior illustrations of Tom Lovell, with commentary by popular culture historian Will Murray. $14.95.
 

 
The pulp era’s greatest superman returns in two action-packed novels by Lester Dent writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, what could cause an entire island to vanish into thin air? Doc Savage and his aides must unravel the strange secret of “Mystery Island” to save England from environmental armageddon. Then, the Man of Bronze (in a rare solo adventure) encounters a strange bearded giant floating in the Bay of Fundy. This double-novel collector’s edition leads off with a classic color cover by Emery Clarke, and showcases all of Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.
 
This is an authentic replica of an original pulp magazine published by Girasol Collectables. This edition is designed to give the reader an authentic taste of what a typical pulp magazine was like when it was first issued – but without the frailty or expense of trying to find a decades-old collectable to enjoy. The outer covers, the interior pages, and the advertisements are reprinted just as they appeared in the original magazine, left intact to give the reader the true feel of the original as well as an appreciation for the way in which these publications were first offered to their avid readers. To further enhance the “pulp experience”, this edition is printed on off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look while, at the same time, assuring that this edition will last far longer than the original upon which it is based. The overall construction and appearance of this reprint is designed to be as faithful to the original magazine as is reasonably possible, given the unavoidable changes in production methods and materials. $25.00

 

Review of Emperor of the Yellow Death from The Spider, Volume 6
By David White
 

This counts as the third time I have read a story where The Spider battles a threat against the world from the Orient. They have been some of the finest Spider stories, in my mind, that have been written. There is always a high degree of treachery and cunning that pushes The Spider to the very brink of death. This story is no exception.
 

The Spider starts thing off battling a tiger and a tigress, the first being actually ten feet long and of the seven hundred pound variety. The Spider in this instance proves that not only is he the Master of Men, but deadly beasts as well. The tigress is an Oriental beauty, whose glamour is matched only by her deadliness. All this and then the diabolical Wang-Ba. He is known as The Turtle who will carry the world on his back. A stark raving mad genius that doesn’t care how many bodies he has to climb to take over the world, he has what seems like an unlimited amount of resources to help him, even a submarine.

Wang-Ba wastes no time in attacking the Spider. In one fell swoop, he not only captures the Lovely Nita, but also transforms Jackson into a raving lunatic. Wang-Ba is not your typical madman though. He feels that he is doing the world a favor by ridding it of all its criminals. Of course if a few hundred innocents die in the process…oh well.

Richard Wentworth plays his violin a bit to clear his mind before heading out against the powerful Oriental. The two literally lock in a struggle of wills, The Spider once again proving why he is called The Master of Men. Wang-Ba has already thrown his plans into action. He will literally hold New York hostage until his demands are met. For each demand the nation does not meet, he will kill ten officials and five hundred citizens.

The Spider is really in trouble this time. Wang-Ba seems to almost play with him at times. But in true Spider form, he shows that until he has breathed his last, the battle is never lost. Girasol Replica #GC181 $35.00 / eBook #RE027 $2.99 / Double Novel reprint #5506 $14.95 On sale for $12.95, save $2.00

 
 
Comments From Our Customers!

 
Jo Peters writes:
I got the Spider free ebook. Love it. No problems downloading or reading the Nook version. Would love it if you could create ebooks of the Shadow and Doc Savage books. Please????
 
Lee Roselli writes:
I would recommend to everybody to purchase their Shadow Magazines from you. Excellent and fast service, the books come in a secure and safe box to prevent damage during shipping. I want to thank you for the graphic Sherlock Holmes book you gave me. Excellent How did you know that I read all the Sherlock Holmes stories I can. I will be buying some more Shadow stories shortly.
 
Paul Gray from the United Kingdom writes:
I am very impressed with volume 1 of Cocoanut Grove recordings. The music is a good example what was being played by the dance bands of the time. It has charm and style and is very tuneful compared with a lot that is being pumped out these days. I am a musician and I play 3 nights a week at an up-market hotel down on the South Devonshire coast, about 35 miles away. The band is a four-piece group consisting of piano, electric guitar, bass and myself on drums. We have customers coming up to us saying that we are unique in playing genuine accoustic music, and playing plenty of good old standards and a few of the more melodic recent tunes, without all the contrived electronics that bombard the ears. I say all this because there is obviously still a demand for the sort of music that the Cocoanut Grove bands played all those years ago. The big thing that makes all the difference to your sets of recordings is the amazing clear quality of sound that makes you feel that you are actually there. I will certainly be ordering volume 2 very soon as a download. I am only buying downloads now instead CDs because I dont have to waste money on expensive postage and the extra customs and postage over here – with downloads I can buy three from you for the cost of one set of CDs and feel happier that all the money goes to you to carry out more amazing work in future.
 
Ernst H. Spellmeyer writes:
Once again I want to thank you for your prompt response in filling my last request for the three sets of Radio CD’s. I listened briefly to the first episode in each set of the three sets of CD’s. Dragnet, Volume 4 was wonderful, just like Volumes 1 and 2; Have Gun Will Travel also was really great. John Dehner makes a terrific Paladin, just as good – if not even better – than Richard Boone, the TV Paladin. Mr Dehner was quite an actor. His voice inflections and demeanor were totally different from his previous role in the Radio series Frontier Gentleman. Now, Luke Slaughter of Tombstone in a separate category all together!! Wow!! what perfect sound and sound effects, coupled with period characters. Sam Buffington is wonderful as Luke Slaughter. Everyone should have this set in their CD collection!! It’s terrific!! I wish you continued success with Radio Archives. I will continue to sing your praises to others! I enjoy doing business with you!
 
Henry Picchioni writes:
Your service has always been top notch and it is always a pleasure to do business with you. Keep up the good work and thanks for the good reads.
 
Beth Barrows writes:
I’d like to receive the newsletter, please. I very much enjoy the Shadow, Spider and Doc Savage and look forward to more of their adventures. Oh and say hi to Will from me.
 

If you’d like to share a comment with us or if you have a question or a suggestion send an email to Service@RadioArchives.com. We’d love to hear from you!

 

The products you’ve read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you’ll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.
 
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DOC IS BACK!-ALL PULP NEW PULP BESTSELLER LIST FOR MARCH 11, 2013!

 Welcome to the March 11, 2013 installment of All Pulp’s New Pulp Best Seller List, originally created by Barry Reese! Before we get to what you’re all waiting for, here are the rules by which this little list comes together.

1) This list only tracks sales through AMAZON. It does not keep track of sales through Barnes and Noble, face-to-face or anything else!

2)   
This list only tracks PRINT sales. Exactly how Amazon calculates these things is mostly a trade secret and they vary wildly from day to day. If we checked this tomorrow, the list could be very different. This list reflects sales ranks as of Monday morning March 11, 2013.


3) In order to keep the focus on new releases, eligible works must have been published within the last three months. So, since this list is being done on March 11, 2013, we are only looking at books published since December 11, 2012. Please keep that in mind before complaining that Title X is not listed. Also, keep in mind that for the most part, we are tracking sales from smaller and mid level press publishers who actively publish New Pulp material. We won’t generally track sales from Simon and Schuster or places like that — they have the New York Times Bestseller List for that. If one of the major publishers starts doing The Shadow or something, we’ll track that, but some publishers will not be listed here in order to keep the focus on the publishers activelyworking to produce and promote New Pulp.

4)   
Like the name suggests, we’re tracking “New” pulp —not sales rankings for reprints of classic material. In order for something to qualify for this list, it has to be at least 50% new material that has not been printed in bookform before.


5) We are human. If you are aware of a title that should be listed below (keeping in mind all the rules above), please let us know and we will make sure to remedy the situation.


6) This information is garnered mostly from All Pulp, New Pulp, the Pulp Factory mailing list and a few other sites. If you think we might miss yourrelease, let us know in advance — drop All Pulp a line and tell us when it’s being released.

Without further ado, here’s the completely and totally unofficial New Pulp bestseller list as of right now (title, then publisher, then release date, then sales rank):

1)         Doc Savage: Skull Island by Will Murray (Altus Press, February 26, 2013) – 9,255

2)       Sherlock Holmes and the Texas Adventure by Dicky Neely (MX Publishing, December 14, 2012) – 55,070

3)         The Detective, The Woman, and the Winking Tree by Amy Thomas (MX Publishing, January 22, 2013) – 78,832

4)         Monster Earth by Various (Mechanoid Press, January 18, 2013) -82,461

5)         Cadaver Island by Kevin Rodgers (Pro Se Productions, March 6, 2013) – 116,913

6)         Fourteen Western Stories by Lloyd Fonvielle (Lloyd Fonvielle, January 23, 2013) – 249,402

7)         Prohibition by Terrence McCauley (Airship 27 Productions, December 15, 2012) 283,483

8)         Finn’s Golem by Gregg Taylor (Autogyro, January 10, 2013) – 298,810

9) Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective, Volume 4 by Various (Airship 27, January 19, 2012) – 450,526

10) The City of Smoke and Mirrors by Nick C. Piers (Pro Se Productions, February 22, 2013) 499,083

Will Murray’s revival of The Man of Bronze has returned to the top of the list (with the help of a big primate type), a position he and Altus Press will most likely maintain for the book’s entire time of eligibility for the list.  As a character, Sherlock Holmes still has a strong showing on the list, Dicky Neely’s ‘Texas Adventure’ making a huge reentry in its last week.  Another title on its way out this week, Airship 27’s ‘Prohibition’ by Terrence McCauley also holds its own, a consistent performer on the list.  Pro Se makes a top five entry with the debut of Kevin Rodger’s ‘Cadaver Island’, a futuristic horror thriller.
As for publishers this week, Pro Se Productions, Airship 27, and MX Publishing lead the way with two titles each, while Altus Press, Mechanoid Press, Lloyd Fonvielle, and Autogyro each have one title inthe Top Ten.   It’s Monday, folks!  Enjoy this list with your weekly grain of salt!

DOC SAVAGE! KING KONG! AND MORE FROM RADIO ARCHIVES!

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

 
March 1, 2013

It’s the 80th Anniversary of King Kong and Doc Savage
Radio Archives has some great King Kong and Doc Savage products for you in the next couple months. Four exciting products in fact and you can order the first one, Doc Savage: Skull Island today! Here’s Will Murray to tell you more:
“For eight decades, fans of both characters have tried to imagine a face-off between Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze, and King Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World. These legendary characters debuted only weeks apart in the Winter of 1933. Now, I am privileged to have written the previously untold tale of what happened after King Kong fell from the Empire State Building, which just happened to be Doc Savage’s headquarters! Don’t miss this latest and greatest Wild Adventure of Doc SavageSkull Island!
 

Will Murray’s Monumental New Novel
Doc Savage vs. King Kong!
 
Eighty years ago in February, 1933 the Street & Smith company released the first issue of Doc Savage Magazine, introducing one of the most popular and influential pulp superheroes ever to hit the American scene. Doc Savage was the greatest adventurer and scientist of his era, and while his magazine ended in 1949, he influenced the creators of Superman, Batman, Star Trek, The Man from UNCLE and the Marvel Universe—to name only a few.
 
While that first issue of Doc Savage was fresh on Depression newsstands, RKO Radio Pictures released one of the most important fantasy films of all time. Everyone knows the story of how King Kong was discovered on Skull Island and hauled back to New York in chains, only to perish tragically atop the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building.
 
As it happened, that was where Doc Savage had his world headquarters. For decades, fans have wondered: Where was Doc the day Kong fell?
 
On the eightieth anniversary of these fictional giants, Altus Press is proud to release the first authorized clash between The Man of Bronze and the Eighth Wonder of the World—Doc Savage: Skull Island. Written by Will Murray in collaboration with Joe DeVito, creator of KONG: King of Skull Island, Doc Savage: Skull Island is a new pulp epic.
 
The story opens when Doc returns from his secret retreat in the North Pole to discover the cold corpse of Kong lying on his doorstep.
 
“I know this creature,” Doc tells his dumbfounded men.
 
Tasked to dispose of the remains, the Man of Bronze then relates the untold story of his epic encounter with Kong back in 1920, after Doc returns from service in World War I, long before Kong became known to the civilized world as “King” Kong.
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island is a multi-generational story in which Doc and his father—the man who placed him in the hands of scientists who made him into a superman—sail to the Indian Ocean in search of Doc’s grandfather, the legendary Stormalong Savage, whose famous clipper ship has been discovered floating, deserted, her masts snapped by some incredible force.
 
The quest for Stormalong Savage leads to the fog-shrouded Indian Ocean and—Skull Island! There, Doc Savage faces his first great test as he encounters its prehistoric dangers and tangles with the towering, unstoppable Kong.
 
“When Joe DeVito brought this idea to me,” says Will Murray, “I knew it had to be written with reverence for both of these immortal characters. So I used the locale of Skull Island to tell a larger story, an untold origin for Doc Savage. It all started back on Skull Island….”
 
“Pulling off the first ever face-off between Doc Savage and King Kong was both challenging and exhilarating,” adds DeVito. “Will’s unique take on the tale scatters the primordial mists surrounding Skull Island long enough to reveal secrets of both classic characters hidden since their creation.”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island has already been hailed as “The Doc Savage novel that Doc fans have been waiting on for 80 years!”
 
Doc Savage: Skull Island will be released in March, as the fifth entry in Altus Press’ popular Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series. Cover by Joe DeVito. $24.95.

 
 

 
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is considered one of the greatest tales of horror to date. When one of the best, but most underrated producers of the Golden Age Radio added in his production and vocal skills, a true radio serial classic was born and is now collected in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Volume 1.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is just one of over 300 radio series and serials produced by George Edwards over the course of his twenty year career in radio. Telling Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of a man divided, this fifteen minute serial debuted in 1943, running for 52 episodes, and was produced by Edwards, a well-known Australian radio personality. The man behind other Australian series, such as Afloat with Henry Morgan and Adventures of Marco Polo lent not only his production skills to Jekyll and Hyde, but shared his amazing vocal talents as well. Edwards’ skill to do multiple voices in a single episode definitely fit the needs of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde, Volume 1 collects the first 28 episodes, 7 hours, of one of the best serial adventures of the radio era. The intense pacing of each episode as well as the high quality production values and the talented voice acting of George Edwards and the rest of the cast make this a must have for any fan of Classic Radio. 7 hours $20.98 Audio CDs / $10.49 Download.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Will Murray’s Pulp Classics #22
by G.T. Fleming-Roberts
Read by Michael C. Gwynne. Liner Notes by Will Murray
 
 

In 1949, Popular Publications, which had been out of the hero business since the cancellation of The Spider in 1943, decided to renter the fading field. The Shadow was still going strong on radio, even if his pulp magazine had been folded a few months before.
 
Veteran mystery pulpster G. T. Fleming-Roberts was tapped to pen the new series under his own name. He had a knack for clever plots, contemporary dialogue, and avoiding the most egregious pulp clichés. In that post-war era, readers expected their heroes to be more realistic, so Fleming-Roberts and his editors went for broke.
 
Their hero, Daily World copywriter Lee Allyn—apparently named in a nod to serial Superman Kirk Alyn—was a meek horn-rimmed fellow who possessed few heroic qualities. But between midnight and dawn, thanks to a scientific experiment that went awry, he turned invisible—except for his floating disembodied eyes.
 
It was as if Clark Kent had learned to become as invisible as Lamont Cranston, but remained a mild-mannered newspaperman.
 
Captain Zero fought crime in small-town settings, aided by fellow journalist, Doro Kelly. He had a lot in common with the early Spider-Man. Luck—both good and bad—dogged his nocturnal forays. He was often outnumbered, not to mention outfought and outwitted. For Lee Allyn, fighting crime was no lark. Especially when you didn’t even have a car—never mind a super-car.
 
In his first bumbling case, City of Deadly Sleep, Captain Zero gets the tar repeatedly beaten out of him by rival gangs before pulling out a victory by the skin of his invisible teeth.
 
Unfortunately, despite a trio of well-crafted stories, the time had passed for heroes like Captain Zero. He expired after only three stories. But they are refreshingly different, and RadioArchives.com is proud to bring them to crackling life in a series of audiobooks narrated by the unseen Michael C. Gwynne.
 
Also included are a fascinating fact story featuring Sherlock Holmes’ creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, called “Elementary, my Dear Corpse!” along with Russell Bender’s tense crime tale, “Killer for Sale!” 7 hours $27.98 Audio CDs / $13.99 Download.

 
 

 

New Will Murray’s Pulp Classics eBooks

 
The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge eBooks! Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your eReader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator #5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like the Octopus and Captain Satan. Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday’s Pulp today!
 

Over Manhattan fell the mystic murder-spell which had transformed America’s moneyed aristocracy into ruthless fiends and criminals! New York’s First Families, no longer the sturdy pillars of society, had launched upon a career of slayings and thievery that outdid even the Underworld! Against this high-hatted holocaust, the law was powerless. Only Richard Wentworth, as the Spider, could fight for a betrayed civilization — battling a Hindu horror league that had worked a monstrous miracle by turning the Best People into butchers! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.

 
Deeper and deeper New York had sunk in the toils of the Underworld czar — until its entire population had been regimented by the Black Police into a Kingdom of Crime! Everywhere marched the evil emperor’s cohorts, collecting the taxes that meant death; and the law was at a standstill. In that moment of desperation, one man had a heaven-sent inspiration. For now Richard Wentworth, as the Spider, resolved to fight the Underworld with its own merciless weapons. With New York’s own police commissioner at his side, he raised a fugitive, fighting legion of honest men who, like Robin Hood’s band of old, took the law into its own hands — to come from secret lairs, strike and punish criminals — then slip back into the shadows again! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. As a special bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction especially for this series of eBooks. $2.99.

 
The United States forces have been driven to their last, desperate stronghold before the blood-maddened ruthless hordes of the self-styled emperor, Rudolph I, even as a courageous but blind nation, wrapped in the dreams of false security, had practiced the foolish doctrine of “It can’t happen here!” America’s patriotic Death Battalion was the last ragged hope of embattled patriots — the women of the nation who hurled themselves bravely and futilely against the war-mad forces of the Purple Invaders. When they fell before the terror-inspiring and deadly barrage of cholera bombs, a few stricken survivors turned for their hope of averting ultimate disaster to one man — Jimmy Christopher — who, as Operator 5, was to face the most overpowering and deadly odds in all his embattled career! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. As a special bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction especially for this series of eBooks. $2.99.
 

In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a collection of stories from the pages of Terror Tales magazine by Wyatt Blassingame, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.

 

Into the city of Bagdad, once host to the forty thieves and hot bed of ancient sin-has come the Dragon Lord of Crime, Wu Fang — his purpose and his mission Death — but death more ghastly than any the mind of man can conceive, wrested from the secrets of forgotten centuries and now employed in gaining the mastery of the earth. Wu Fang is a Chinese criminal mastermind and scientific genius. With his hybrid monkey-men, he plans to conquer America. He is member of various secret societies and has spies everywhere. Opposing him is Val Kildare of the F.B.I.  His aides, reporter Jerry Hazard, archaeologist Rod Carson and newsboy Cappy, help him in his battles against the sinister man of evil known as Wu Fang. $2.99.

 
 
99 cent eBook Singles
Each 99 cent eBook Single contains a single short story, one of the many amazing tales selected from the pages of Terror Tales and Rangeland Romances. These short stories are not included in any of our other eBooks.
 

From the measureless crypt of Time, Frazier called Sekhmet, Queen of the Lions. But the price he paid was dear… In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Terror Tales magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 

Lovely Benedicta made lively plans to surprise her sweetheart and his cantina-dancer lady friend at the forbidden fiesta. One of the most popular settings for romance stories was the old west, where men were men and women were women. As many a swooning damsel could attest, “There’s something about a cowboy.” The western romance became one of the most popular types of magazines sold during the early and mid-twentieth century. $0.99.

 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, now available at:
 

 
Search for RadioArchives.com in iTunes.
 
 
 
 
 

Receive an exciting original Spider adventure FREE! Part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line, The Spider #11, Prince of the Red Looters first saw print in 1934 and features his momentous battle with The Fly and his armies of crazed criminal killers.
 
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps, this is a perfect chance to give one of these fantastic yarns a real test run. With a full introduction to the Spider written by famed pulp historian and author Will Murray, The Spider #11 was written by one of pulp’s most respected authors, Norvell W. Page. Writing as Grant Stockbridge, Page’s stories included some of the most bizarre and fun takes on heroes and crime fighting in the history of escapist fiction.
 
Even today Page’s scenarios and his edge-of-the-seat writing style are still thrilling both new and old fans everywhere. For those who have never read one of these rollercoaster adventures, you are in for a thrill. If you already know how much fun a classic pulp is, make sure you get a copy of this classic.
 

See what the Total Pulp Experience is for yourself. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine.
 
Send an eMail to eBooks@RadioArchives.com and start reading your FREE copy of  the Spider #11 within seconds! Experience The Best Pulps the Past has to offer in the most modern way possible!
 
 

 

A review by Jim Beard
 
If you’re like me, you probably wondered what exactly we’d be getting in the new Doc Savage novel, SKULL ISLAND, it being both a Doc story featuring King Kong and a way to celebrate the 80th anniversaries of both legendary creations. Well, after reading the book, I’m happy to report that author Will Murray’s put some definite heart and soul into it and crafted what is now my most favorite of the recent “Wild Adventures of Doc Savage” series of novels.
 
But, that said, it’s different from just about any other Doc book you’ve ever read, something we’re clued in on by the “Will Murray” byline and the absence of the traditional “Kenneth Robeson” house name.
 
For me, the story was literally one that I didn’t want to put down; it’s that engaging. It begins at the end, right after Kong’s infamous nosedive off the Empire State Building, which leads directly to Doc’s involvement – or, rather, his telling of a tale to his aides of when he first met the giant simian. Yes, the great majority of the novel is a flashback to Doc Savage’s early days and therein is found its fascinating core. In essence, what we have here is the heretofore Secret Origin of Doc Savage.
 
Doc and his father – yes, you read that right; his father – head off on a quest for Doc’s grandfather, Stormalong Savage, which takes them into strange waters and exotic climes…and ultimately Skull Island. There they run afoul of enemies of many different stripes and discover wonders beyond their imagining. And a humongous ape-like “god-beast” called Kong.
 
Murray’s defining of the relationship here between Clark Senior and Clark Junior is practically worth the price of admission alone. This is a young Doc, fresh out of World War I and not exactly the bronze hero of the pulp adventures we know so well, and it’s with that admission that I can see some potential backlash with diehard Doc fans. This is a Doc who has not quite found his mission in life yet, nor honed all his skills and formed his famous tenets – most especially the rule against killing. This Doc kills and kills in often savage ways, which at points drenches the narrative in a bloodbath that may even disturb some readers. But, and it’s important to point this out, there’s a method behind Murray’s seeming madness – it all leads to something and something significant, namely the forging of the Doc Savage of the famous pulp adventures. And Murray does this all with style and careful thought and exciting imagery and action.
 
One of the things I loved about this novel is its use of language, precisely that which flies back and forth between elder and younger Savage in many bouts of witty verbal “fencing.” Will Murray has obviously crafted all his Doc books with care, but in SKULL ISLAND I believe I saw even more attention to detail, to dialogue, to atmosphere and to adventure. The story moves right along, only slightly bogging down a bit past its mid-section, and really defines the term “page turner.” Murray gives this one his best and finest and the book benefits from that in ways too numerous to list.
 
As I said before, this is a story of origins. Here we learn the origin of Doc’s trilling, of his disdain of guns and his inexhaustible search for knowledge, even the origin of the Hidalgo Trading Co. hanger. We also discover more information on the Savage family then we’ve ever had revealed to us before and hints of not only some of Doc’s other early adventures – did you know he was on the Titanic? – but also those of his father and grandfather, both famous explorers in their own right. Heck, we even hear about Doc’s uncle, another adventurer in the family. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the author is suggesting here that readers might care to hear more of these adventures, as separate works.
 
But, again, it’s the relationship between father and son that really stands out in the novel, one that careens between dysfunctional and loving, and it’s that which will stay with me for some time to come. In fact, knowing the fate of Clark Savage Senior in 1933’s MAN OF BRONZE will perhaps add another layer of pathos to your reading of SKULL ISLAND.
 
And, oh yes, King Kong is here, too. You will discover much more about his origins, also, as well as Skull Island’s original inhabitants. And that’s all fascinating as well. Dinosaur fans will especially have reason to love this book. Kong and his environs are not given short shrift in the slightest; the King looms over this book with all the weight and gravity he deserves.
 
In all, I’m a richer pulp fan for having read SKULL ISLAND. Will Murray takes our expectations and delivers upon them while still striking off on his own path, assembling a story that will please both Savage and Kong aficionados and remind us all just how cool pulp can be. There’s heart and soul here, like I said, and I for one can’t quite see how Murray will manage to top this one….but I know he will, somehow.
 
Get this book and settle in for a trip to the South Seas and beyond, Savage style.

 

Richard Wentworth, in the guise of his crime-fighting alter-ego, returns in two 1930s tales of The Spider. First, in “Builders of the Black Empire” (1934), swift and terrible death rides the waves as modern day pirates turn the seas into a battlefield, striking down majestic ocean liners and lumbering cargo ships with violent abandon. To defeat these seafaring slaughterers, The Spider must match wits with a criminal genius whose cruelty runs the gamut of terror, mass destruction and torture! Then, in “Satan’s Shackles” (1938), Wentworth hangs up The Spider’s guns and seeks peace and contentment in the rural countryside  while his fiancee Nita van Sloan recovers her health. But even here, a gang of vicious criminals is at work, threatening not only the citizens of Harper’s Falls but The Spider’s own hidden identity! These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. $14.95. On sale for $12.95, save $2.00

 

The Master of Darkness teams with Scotland Yard’s Eric Delka in two thrilling tales of international intrigue by Walter Gibson writing as “Maxwell Grant.” First, The Shadow investigates an international spy ring with the assistance of “The Man from Scotland Yard” (in his first appearance). Then, The Shadow and Delka’s investigation of missing submarine plans sets them on the trail of the legendary Parisian super-criminal, Gaspard Zemba, in Walter Gibson’s all-time masterpiece of misdirection! This instant collector’s item showcases both classic pulp covers by George Rozen and all the original interior illustrations of Tom Lovell, with commentary by popular culture historian Will Murray. $14.95.
 

 
 
The pulp era’s greatest superman returns in two action-packed novels by Lester Dent writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, what could cause an entire island to vanish into thin air? Doc Savage and his aides must unravel the strange secret of “Mystery Island” to save England from environmental armageddon. Then, the Man of Bronze (in a rare solo adventure) encounters a strange bearded giant floating in the Bay of Fundy. This double-novel collector’s edition leads off with a classic color cover by Emery Clarke, and showcases all of Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and new historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of eleven Doc Savage novels. $14.95.
 
This is an authentic replica of an original pulp magazine published by Girasol Collectables. This edition is designed to give the reader an authentic taste of what a typical pulp magazine was like when it was first issued – but without the frailty or expense of trying to find a decades-old collectable to enjoy. The outer covers, the interior pages, and the advertisements are reprinted just as they appeared in the original magazine, left intact to give the reader the true feel of the original as well as an appreciation for the way in which these publications were first offered to their avid readers. To further enhance the “pulp experience”, this edition is printed on off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look while, at the same time, assuring that this edition will last far longer than the original upon which it is based. The overall construction and appearance of this reprint is designed to be as faithful to the original magazine as is reasonably possible, given the unavoidable changes in production methods and materials. $25.00
 
 

 

By Dr. Art Sippo

 

In ‘The Pirate of the Pacific’, on their return from their arctic adventure in which they travelled underneath the north polar ice cap, Doc Savage and his crew are attacked by hostile aircraft.  Cleverly escaping from this trap, Doc returns to New York where he receives an urgent message from his friend Juan Mindoro of the island nation, the Luzon Union.  He and his country are in serious trouble and only Doc can help.  But the crafty Liung-Sun and his band of Mongol cutthroats roam New York seeking to kill Doc and anyone who might assist him or Juan Mindoro.  Sugar Magnate Scott Osborn become the target of the wily villain’s wrath.  But Liung-Sun is only the advanced agent for the infamous Tom-Too, the mastermind called the Pirate of the Pacific who is planning to overthrow the Luzon Union as a stepping stone to conquering the entire Pacific region.

 
Doc Savage finds himself in a series of battles fighting his way across the Pacific Ocean to the Luzon Union.  He becomes enmeshed in an all-out revolution that threatens to destabilize the entire region.  The powerful Juan Mindoro is in hiding for fear of his life.  Who is the mysterious Tom Too?  Can Doc and his crew of five aides defeat this horde of marauding pirates?  Doc and his crew find themselves in the midst of a war.  Can even they prevail against these odds? Find out when You pick up this and another full length Doc Savage novel in Doc Savage, Volume 6. Double Novel reprint $12.95

 
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The products you’ve read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you’ll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.
 
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JIM BEARD TAKES A TRIP TO SKULL ISLAND

Art: Joe DeVito

New Pulp Author Jim Beard reviews Altus Press’ Doc Savage “Skull Island” novel by New Pulp Author Will Murray.

DOC SAVAGE: SKULL ISLAND
A review by Jim Beard

If you’re like me, you probably wondered what exactly we’d be getting in the new Doc Savage novel, SKULL ISLAND, it being both a Doc story featuring King Kong and a way to celebrate the 80th anniversaries of both legendary creations. Well, after reading the book, I’m happy to report that author Will Murray’s put some definite heart and soul into it and crafted what is now my most favorite of the recent “Wild Adventures of Doc Savage” series of novels.

But, that said, it’s different from just about any other Doc book you’ve ever read, something we’re clued in on by the “Will Murray” byline and the absence of the traditional “Kenneth Robeson” house name.

For me, the story was literally one that I didn’t want to put down; it’s that engaging. It begins at the end, right after Kong’s infamous nosedive off the Empire State Building, which leads directly to Doc’s involvement – or, rather, his telling of a tale to his aides of when he first met the giant simian. Yes, the great majority of the novel is a flashback to Doc Savage’s early days and therein is found its fascinating core. In essence, what we have here is the heretofore Secret Origin of Doc Savage.

Doc and his father – yes, you read that right; his father – head off on a quest for Doc’s grandfather, Stormalong Savage, which takes them into strange waters and exotic climes…and ultimately Skull Island. There they run afoul of enemies of many different stripes and discover wonders beyond their imagining. And a humongous ape-like “god-beast” called Kong.

Murray’s defining of the relationship here between Clark Senior and Clark Junior is practically worth the price of admission alone. This is a young Doc, fresh out of World War I and not exactly the bronze hero of the pulp adventures we know so well, and it’s with that admission that I can see some potential backlash with diehard Doc fans. This is a Doc who has not quite found his mission in life yet, nor honed all his skills and formed his famous tenets – most especially the rule against killing. This Doc kills and kills in often savage ways, which at points drenches the narrative in a bloodbath that may even disturb some readers. But, and it’s important to point this out, there’s a method behind Murray’s seeming madness – it all leads to something and something significant, namely the forging of the Doc Savage of the famous pulp adventures. And Murray does this all with style and careful thought and exciting imagery and action.

One of the things I loved about this novel is its use of language, precisely that which flies back and forth between elder and younger Savage in many bouts of witty verbal “fencing.” Will Murray has obviously crafted all his Doc books with care, but in SKULL ISLAND I believe I saw even more attention to detail, to dialogue, to atmosphere and to adventure. The story moves right along, only slightly bogging down a bit past its mid-section, and really defines the term “page turner.” Murray gives this one his best and finest and the book benefits from that in ways too numerous to list.

As I said before, this is a story of origins. Here we learn the origin of Doc’s trilling, of his disdain of guns and his inexhaustible search for knowledge, even the origin of the Hidalgo Trading Co. hanger. We also discover more information on the Savage family then we’ve ever had revealed to us before and hints of not only some of Doc’s other early adventures – did you know he was on the Titanic? – but also those of his father and grandfather, both famous explorers in their own right. Heck, we even hear about Doc’s uncle, another adventurer in the family. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the author is suggesting here that readers might care to hear more of these adventures, as separate works.

But, again, it’s the relationship between father and son that really stands out in the novel, one that careens between dysfunctional and loving, and it’s that which will stay with me for some time to come. In fact, knowing the fate of Clark Savage Senior in 1933’s MAN OF BRONZE will perhaps add another layer of pathos to your reading of SKULL ISLAND.

And, oh yes, King Kong is here, too. You will discover much more about his origins, also, as well as Skull Island’s original inhabitants. And that’s all fascinating as well. Dinosaur fans will especially have reason to love this book. Kong and his environs are not given short shrift in the slightest; the King looms over this book with all the weight and gravity he deserves.

In all, I’m a richer pulp fan for having read SKULL ISLAND. Will Murray takes our expectations and delivers upon them while still striking off on his own path, assembling a story that will please both Savage and Kong aficionados and remind us all just how cool pulp can be. There’s heart and soul here, like I said, and I for one can’t quite see how Murray will manage to top this one….but I know he will, somehow.

Get this book and settle in for a trip to the South Seas and beyond, Savage style.