ALL PULP (www.allpulp.blogspot.com) , a leading site for news related to Pulp fiction in any medium, announces today a talent search for open staff reporter/reviewer positions.Started in September, 2010, ALL PULP quickly became the go to site for news, reviews, interviews, and columns related to Pulp fiction, both classic and New Pulp.Started by a group of New Pulp creators that became known as The Spectacled Seven, All Pulp has strived to provide interesting, current, and topical news and views on a daily basis.In order to continue the tradition and standards that the site has set for itself, the Spectacled Seven, headed up by Editor in Chief Tommy Hancock, have determined that ALL PULP is in need of additional staff to work as reporters, reviewers, and columnists to provide content for the site.
“We are looking for,” Hancock states, “3-5 individuals who have either an interest in the Pulp genre/field of writing, a background or interest in journalism, or a combination of the two.In order to stay on top of all the news that happens in Pulp every day, an amount that is increasing on a weekly basis, ALL PULP needs a dedicated staff of field reporters collecting news releases, conducting interviews, and writing columns and reviews of the latest Pulp available as well as all the classic Pulp available to the public today.We have the Spectacled Seven and a handful of other contributors who provide content as they acquire it or as they can, but what is needed is a small select group of people providing 3-5 pieces of news a week.Length is not an issue, it can be a 5,000 word column or a 300 word newsbyte.ALL PULP is about making sure the news is delivered to its readers consistently, concisely, and regularly.”
Hancock notes that there is currently no monetary compensation for these open positions or any position currently filled at ALL PULP, including his own.“This is all volunteer at this time, but other benefit do exist.The opportunity to be a part of known pop culture news site, to interact with publishers, writers, artists, and personalities in the Pulp field, and to expand the coverage ALL PULP already has are all advantages one would gain by being a part of ALL PULP.”
Anyone interested in applying for the open positions can submit a mock interview, review, column or news story (or an actual story written for another publication) to Hancock at allpulp@yahoo.com.
Everyone knows what old pulp classics “should” be on everyone’s reading list but what about the New Pulp novels and stories that have been produced in the last decade or so? What titles would you present to someone new to the genre as representative of the best of New Pulp? Would you push The Khan Dynasty by Wayne Reinagel into their hands? Or The Hounds of Hell by Fortier and Linzner? What about the vast libraries of Wild Cat Books, Airship 27 or even newer publishers like Age of Adventure or Pro Se? Post your lists either here on the Comments section or on our Facebook page! We’ll try to compile a list once we’ve heard from everyone.
PULPED! The Official New Pulp Podcast-Episode 2-Chronologies get PULPED!
PULPED! is a Podcast dedicated to the creators and fans of New Pulp! New Pulp, heroic fiction by modern artists written with the sensibility and in the tradition of the Pulp genre! This week, Tommy and Ron take on the hosting duties and visit with Jeff Deischer, Pulp Writer and Chronologist about his latest book! THE WAY THEY WERE contains essays on various and sundry points about Doc Savage, The Avenger, Dracula, Captain Nemo, Gullivar of Mars, and other noted Pulp and literary characters! And if you don’t think this is New Pulp, then listen and learn, children!
Then, New Pulp’s own Diva of Justice, The Pulptress swings in with a review of CROSSOVERS by Win Scott Eckert, Noted Pulp Author and Chronologist! Tune in, listen, and be sure to get PULPED!
Andrew Salmon Secret Agent X iPulp Launch Interview
With the upcoming June 27 release of his Secret Agent X tale, The Icarus Terror, All Pulp sat down with Andrew Salmon to get the skinny on Secret Agent X and the digital revolution.
AP: Tell us a little about yourself and where readers can find out more about you and your work?
AS: All right. I was born in Montreal, Canada but my wife and I now live in Vancouver. I’ve been writing pulp for more than three years now and really feel at home in the genre. I’ve had the great good fortune to have picked up three award nominations for my pulp work in the last couple of years and am still amazed I actually won a Pulp Factory Award for Best Pulp Short Story in ’09 for my contribution to Airship 27’s Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Volume One. Folks interested in my output to date can check out my author page on amazon. It’s got it all. Plus you’ll find almost all of my stuff on Airship 27’s various sites.
AP: How did you become involved with Secret Agent X?
AS: When I first hooked up with Airship 27 I was completely new to the pulp genre having read three or four Shadows and a couple dozen Docs. But I fell in love with the genre immediately and leapt at the chance to try my hand writing it. Well, my inexperience led Airship’s Ron Fortier to assign me a Jim Anthony tale since Anthony was a Doc Savage clone and I’d read more Docs than anything else at that point. So I banged out an Anthony tale and had a ball doing it! So much so that when I was done, I was hungry for more! Around the same time, Airship 27 was re-issuing the titles they had originally published with Wild Cat Books during their brief association and their first Secret Agent X anthology was on deck. Thing was, one of the contributors to that release decided, for whatever reason, to bow out of Airship 27’s re-issue of the book. My Anthony tale had not been released at this point and X was the next book they had on the flight deck. Ron knew I was chomping at the bit to officially become part of what has now become the New Pulp movement and offered me the slot – if I could bang out a Secret Agent X tale quickly. I did . They loved it. And I got the spot! I made my pulp debut with Secret Agent X and have loved the Agent ever since!
AP: Who is Secret Agent X? What makes pulp characters like Secret Agent X appeal to you as a writer and a reader?
AS: X is just a great character! He can be anyone and the fun in writing and reading X tales is to discover where he’s going to turn up next. The mysterious element to the character is what really drew me in. Along with his abilities as a master of disguise, readers are never sure who he really is as his true identity is never revealed. That’s a lot for a pulp writer to play around with and makes X novels and stories a delight to read. X is the Bond of his time and yet has a selfless dedication to duty. He has no time for martinis and fair ladies. He’s got a job to do and he does whatever it takes to get that job done. Also, in a way, he’s the quintessence of what pulp is all about. Very little time is spent on X’s background. Oh, he’s got a regular cast and a love interest, but X tales are all about action, misdirection, gadgets and disguises. Bond meets Mission: Impossible – that’s Secret Agent X!
AP: Digital content has changed the publishing landscape. As a creator, what excites you about digital content? As a reader?
AS: Well, this is the burning question of our time – right across the publishing landscape. The digital world has exploded traditional publishing in a good way. It’s easy to get stuff out there and doing so digitally means you can keep prices down. Everyone is pinching pennies these days and folks are careful about what they spend their money on. People want bang for their buck and tend to stick with content and creators they know to be, in their minds, a sure investment.
However, with digital publishing, readers can now branch out. Whether it be with a tablet, an e-reader or their cell phones thanks to iPulp, content, both good and bad, is now readily available at a great price. Pulp creators and fans have seen the impact the internet has had on creating the New Pulp revolution. Now with the surge in e-readers and the like, it’s not so big a gamble to try something other than whatever is on the Best Seller’s list at any given moment. What once was a $15-$30 roll of the dice can now be had for $3 or even $1 with iPulp. There are a lot of really great writers out there and their voices can now be heard thanks to the digital revolution. Readers can take chances now, branch out and it won’t break the bank. It’s great! I can’t tell you the number of writers I now read regularly that I’d have never heard of if not for the digital explosion. Or, if I’d heard of them, I probably couldn’t afford to take a chance on. No more! Now dabbling is easier than ever and it’s just great to wade into the tidal wave of New Pulp authors and artists. For avid readers, the digital boom is a dream come true!
AP: Your Secret Agent X story, “THE ICARUS TERROR” is currently available in print and as an eBook from Airship 27, and soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction. What can you tell us about this story?
AS: My simple rule for an X tale is to have the thing start pedal to the metal and not let up for a heartbeat. That’s what I did for “The Icarus Terror” and the result is a wild ride. Imagine 1930s New York and an airship festival – airships and blimps hovering over the city, blocking out the sun. Then imagine those ships descending, squeezing between the towering, concrete spires of the city and before anyone can figure out what’s happening, the helium-filled airships begin to explode! How is it being done? Is some evil genius behind it? Is the city being held hostage? Can Secret Agent X get to the bottom of the mystery before more of the airships explode? Talk about bang for your buck! With iPulp offering “The Icarus Terror” for only $1, truer words were never spoken. Edge of your seat thrills await!
AP: Airship 27 currently has three Secret Agent X anthologies in print and available as eBooks with several of those stories soon to be released individually at iPulp Fiction. What’s next for these pulp heroes?
AS: I’ve got a Secret Agent X tale in the third Airship anthology and I’m hoping it will one day make its way to iPulp along with the other X tales they’ve done to date. X is made for this format. The stories are fast-paced, action-packed – just the sort of thing to read on the go or during brief breaks or down time on the job. They will get your heart pumping! As for the future of the great pulp heroes, the sky really is the limit. Back in the Golden Age of pulp fiction, the exploits of these great heroes were great escapism from the everyday. Folks in the 1930s craved these kinds of adventures and nothing has really changed. Action movies, books, video games and the like are still as popular as ever. Pulp fiction and the great pulp heroes of yesterday and today can still thrill while providing that much needed escapism we all need from time to time. Getting pulp tales out in all different formats means that readers looking for a white-knuckle thrill ride can access these tales however they prefer. A Mount Everest of pulp thrills was compiled during the heyday of pulp fiction and millions of readers enjoyed the terrific exploits of these timeless characters. Most of that stuff is becoming available for today’s readers. But, more importantly, a sister peak is being compiled of New Pulp tales, characters, exploits with a modern sensibility, currently created by talented writers and artists for today’s readers. It’s all breaking at the same time. Tons of great reading you do not want to miss! Whether you’re an old pulp fan or someone coming to the genre for the first time, you will find something you like. I guarantee it. Get your feet wet digitally if your wallet is a little light. Try an Airship PDF for $3 or an iPulp tale for $1. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you’re in for a real treat! Once you see what a wonderful reading experience one can have with pulp, you can upgrade to printed books to stock your library if you want or fill up the memory on your tablet with as much pulp as it’ll hold. You won’t be sorry.
Andrew Salmon (on left)
AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to plug?
AS: I’m currently working feverishly on a pulp novel featuring German pulp heroes called All-Men: The Shadow-Line. The book, if I can ever get the darn thing finished, is going to be something very different and, I hope, very eye-opening for pulp fans. I’m going out on more limbs than I can keep track of but I’m risking the fall in the hopes of providing readers with a reading experience they’ve not encountered with pulp to date. The novel is taking up almost all of my writing time these days but that doesn’t mean I don’t have other irons in the fire. I’ve contributed an easter-egg laden, hardboiled detective tale for an anthology Airship 27 is putting together featuring a PI named Rick Ruby and that was a lot of fun. I also collaborated with Mark Halegua crafting the first tale with his hero, the Red Badge, which is forthcoming as part of Airship 27’s Mystery Men & Women Volume Two which should be out before the end of the year. There are a lot of other things on the horizon both with Airship 27 and Pro Se that I’m not at liberty to talk about at the moment. Let’s just say that the pulp world hasn’t seen the last of me yet and leave it at that. I’m having a ton of fun writing pulp and it’s my hope that readers are having as much run reading what I’ve churned out so far. Hang on to your fedoras folks, you ain’t seen nothing yet!
AP: Thanks, Andrew.
For more information on iPulp Fiction’s offerings, please visit www.ipulpfiction.com
For more information on Airship 27 Productions’ offerings, please visit www.gopulp.info
Four New Pulp creators and proclaimed members of what some are calling The New Pulp Movement, announced today that they have united to present the world with the first official New Pulp Podcast! PULPED!, a podcast focused on the works and trends that comprise and contribute to works created after the heyday of the Pulps that have the sensibilities of classic Pulp works and yet are new tales, debuted with its first episode on June 20th.
Tommy Hancock, Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, and Ron Fortier, all noted pulp authors and personalities within New Pulp, make up the core circle behind PULPED! Functioning as a rotating circle of hosts, the PULPED! Four will spotlight different creators and New Pulp works each week as well as discussing trends in the sub genre. There will be a News section of the podcast, but it will be slightly different than traditional newscasts. Each co-host will bring a topic of New Pulp news to the table and then the assembled hosts will discuss and/or debate it. Also, PULPED! will be the home of reviews done by THE PULPTRESS, the spokesperson for New Pulp! Each week, she will deliver a review of current New Pulp books, audio, movies, tv, and other things that qualify as New Pulp.
“New Pulp,” said Tommy Hancock, “is a vibrant, relevant part of the fiction Pulp fans love and enjoy. Edgy at times, traditional at others, New Pulp shows that the fantastic heroic adventure fiction enjoyed by so many in the early 20th Century is not only still alive and well, but is on the verge of being an important part of literature of the 21st Century. PULPED!’s focus will not simply be on books, but on all aspects of how New Pulp permeates our society. It will also focus on everyone from major players in publishing and other fields right down to the small press publishers and independent creators that truly are the lifeblood of this movement.”
PULPED! will post a new episode every Monday at http://www.pulped.libsyn.com/ and will be available in the coming weeks via ITunes and other providers.
“Anyone who is a writer, artist, publisher,” Hancock stated, “that wants to be a guest on PULPED!, all they need to do is to send an email to braedenalex@centurytel.net or contact any of the four hosts.”
PULPED! The Official New Pulp Podcast-Episode 1-PULPED! For The First Time!
PULPED! is a Podcast dedicated to the creators and fans of New Pulp! New Pulp, heroic fiction by modern artists written with the sensibility and in the tradition of the Pulp genre! Pulp creators Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, Ron Fortier, and Tommy Hancock kick off this podcast dedicated to the promotion of The New Pulp Movement by explaining what the podcast is about, defining and discussing New Pulp, and letting know listeners what they’re in store for.
Then Tommy and Barry take off their hosts hats and climb in the guest spotlight to discuss Barry’s latest book, THE ROOK-VOLUME SIX, published by Hancock through the company he’s a partner in, Pro Se Productions. The origins of the Rook, Reese’s inspirations, and the logic behind Pro Se acquiring the Rook as well as future plans for the well known character are discussed in length. Following that, our intrepid co-hosts take on the PULPED! News. Each week, the co-hosts will bring one topic of New Pulp news to the table and they will discuss, analyze, explore, and debate it! If you like your fiction heroic, if you seek adventure and action in every word you read, then come on in, take a seat, and get PULPED!
A Review Of Granton City Press’s UNIT 13By Andrew Salmon
With the New Pulp movement in full swing these days it’s high time pulp fans took a look at what our fellow pulpsters north of the border are up to. Case in point: Unit 13 The Horrors of Altenschatten by Calvin Daniels and Tyrell Tinnin.
I really enjoyed this book and am anxious to see where further adventures will take this colorful cast of characters.
The novel gives us the inaugural adventure of Unit 13, a secret, elite military force fighting in France during World War One. Lead by Sergeant T.S. Crake, Unit 13 is not your average squad. In fact the war to end all wars depicted here is not your great, great grandfather’s fight. No, this conflict is more in keeping with Kurt Busiek’s Arrowsmith. Magic abounds and mythical creatures are fighting on both sides. Here’s where Unit 13 comes in.
Comprised of an enormously powerful Tollgre named Grymm, The Starling – a sultry female sniper/assassin, a wily First Nation Indian named Smoke, Solstice – an African-American with gloves which harness the power of the sun and Centurion a steampunk cyborg, Unit 13 takes on all comers and this is not a group you want to mess with.
Yeah, there’s something for everyone in this unit.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Early in the tale they encounter Chimera who is the product of German medical experiments to create an army of super soldiers. Like his namesake, Chimera is half-lion, half-lizard and one dangerous customer. Once converted to the side of right, Chimera fills them in on the horrible experiments being conducted at Altenshchatten Castle to which the capture Grymm has been taken.
It’s Unit 13 to the rescue! And the bodies, body parts, blood and guts begin to fly!
The novel is a great action ride that should satisfy any fan of pulp or adventure fiction. The writing can be a little uneven at times and the narrative jumps around, sometimes jarringly, but there’s still more than enough thrills to keep you turning pages.
As this is the first adventure of the group, a goodly portion of the text is given to filling in character back stories while laying the groundwork for future tales. Here the jumping around nature of the novel is a benefit as we don’t linger too long with any one character, or group of characters, at one time.
All in all, the book is a great read which I recommend. At only $13.99 you get 218 pages of WWI excitement mixed with magic, mayhem, superheroic action, a little romance and some betrayal to sweeten the pot.
Unit 13 The Horrors of Altenschatten is one of the best examples of what the New Pulp movement is all about. Check it out.
Pro Se Press, a leader in New Pulp fiction, is extremely proud to announce the first of many releases penned by Veteran Pulp Author Barry Reese and starring Reese’s best known creation, THE ROOK!THE ROOK: VOLUME SIX by Reese is now available from Pro Se Press!
Already established as one of the best known heroes of The New Pulp Movement, The Rook takes on his greatest adventures in VOLUME SIX.Reese ups the ante significantly for Max Davies, millionaire and vision driven vigilante, by setting The Rook against Sun Koh, Prince of Atlantis in the lead story, THE SCORCHED GOD!A character from German pulps of the 1930s, Sun Koh is essentially the Germanic Doc Savage and comes up against The Rook in order to take his supposed rightful place as ruler of the world.Assisted by a variety of interesting villains, most notably The Furies, three women, each one representing an Axis nation.What chance does any mere mortal man have against a near Godlike being and his bevy of deadly beauties?Fortunately, there is nothing ‘mere’ about The Rook in ‘THE SCORCHED GOD!’
The Rook continues to deliver two fisted justice in two other tales included in VOLUME SIX!Taking a trip to the Old West like no one ever has, The Rook hopes to help lost souls clear up ‘SINS OF THE PAST’!And The Rook appears for the first time ever in a story with Reese’s latest and greatest New Pulp hero!Lazarus Gray, of Pro Se’s SOVEREIGN CITY PROJECT, stands side by side with The Rook as they take on evil and injustice in ‘DARKNESS, SPREADING ITS WINGS OF BLACK’!
This volume also includes an introduction by Pro Se Editor in Chief Tommy Hancock, an interview with the author, and a timeline for The Rook and the various and sundry tales told within that universe!
“Clearly, Pro Se is more than proud and pleased to be able to put out THE ROOK: VOLUME SIX,” stated Tommy Hancock, EIC of Pro Se Press.“Barry has clearly set a standard for what a New Pulp Author and a New Pulp hero should be!And this volume is not just chocked full with adventure, but the extras give it a more rounded feel as well.Also, this represents another step toward Pro Se’s own house style of formatting, developed and designed by our own Sean Ali.”
AVAILABLE NOW-THE ROOK: VOLUME SIX by Barry Reese from Pro Se Press!
No shelf of New Pulp Fiction will be complete without this volume!
Pro Se Productions-Putting the Monthly Back into New Pulp!
ISBN-13: 978-1463548995
ISBN-10: 1463548990
Release date: 06/09/11
Retail Price: $12.00
On-Line Store – https://www.createspace.com/3623250
TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock THE BLEEDING HELLS by Barry Reese Published by Wild Cat Books 2008
If you know New Pulp, then you probably know the work of author Barry Reese. Even more likely you know the character Reese is best known for creating, THE ROOK, formerly with Wild Cat Books, coming soon from Pro Se Press. Barry has made quite a name for himself by producing ROOK story after ROOK story, most of them collected in six total volumes with plans for three full novels to come over the next year or two. What you may not know about, though, is a little Reese gem that slides under most radars. And not only is The Rook central to the story, but Reese with all his New Pulp skill and style reaches into the land of Classic Pulp and the Public Domain and adds a liberal dose of The Black Bat, Ascott Keane, and Doctor Satan into one bleeding helluva story that may be one of my favorite ROOK adventures.
THE BLEEDING HELLS focuses on The Knife of Elohim, a blade that is a major part of The Rook’s arsenal. This blade, once bathed in the blood of Christ, is blessed with supernatural energy. Within this story, it turns out there were four such blades and two criminals have decided to collect all four and open up a portal into The Bleeding Hells, essentially the worst version of Lucifer’s headquarters one could imagine. It turns out that not only does The Rook have one of these knives, but The Black Bat has one and the infamous Dr. Satan has the other two. The criminals of course end up getting hands on all four and our heroes…and yes, one incredibly evil villain…have to pool resources, set aside differences, and hope they can save the world, even if they already be too late.
THE BLEEDING HELLS is Reese’s ROOK at its best. The characterization of Max Davies shows not only an avenger of justice, but a man troubled enough by his own past to fight like heck to insure the safety of the future. Reese goes to a whole other level, however, within this tale than just putting his best Rook forward. Once again, Barry shows an excellent grasp of what’s come before and gives fantastic portrayals of THE BLACK BAT, ASCOTT KEANE, and a thoroughly chilling and enjoyable DOCTOR SATAN. Other strengths shine through as well, including the pacing being dead on. Barry builds the tension of the story well, even as he thrusts you immediately into the action. Dialogue pops all the way through, from the smarminess of Satan to the back and forth charming dialogue between the various heroes’ sidekicks. In all ways Reese, this is one of the best efforts I’ve yet to see and definitely makes me want to see this collection of heroes and villains once again…and even twice.
The only drawback to this volume and unfortunately it’s a significant one, is the editing. It’s not that there’s a mistake on every page, but the misspelling and absence of words is enough that it proved distracting from the beginning to the end. I thoroughly enjoyed THE BLEEDING HELLS, but I have also built up a tolerance to editing errors to a small degree. Even with that, though, the editing or lack of it made THE BLEEDING HELLS a little more difficult to read than I would have liked.
FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-The editing is an issue for me, but to be honest, the story is just awesome enough to overcome it.
TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock PRIDE OF THE TRAVELER by Bryce Beattie Originally Published in Astonishing Adventures Magazine #2 Now Available at http://www.smashwords.com/ and http://www.storyhack.com/ (Author’s site)
It’s always nice to discover new authors plying the New Pulp trade, especially when it’s via digital media, the wave of the future for New Pulp creators and stories. Such is the case with PRIDE OF THE TRAVELER, a short swashbuckler by Bryce Beattie.
Set in Beattie’s own land of fantasy and swords, Caldera, this tale focuses on a sword for hire by the name of Key who essentially goes town to town challenging swordsmen for money. Also on his travels, Key has made a habit of stopping into visit fortune tellers and gypsies and that is where this story starts. Visiting a gypsy named Drabardi Fawe, Key asks for his fortune to be told. What the gypsy shares with him figures prominently into his working the crowd in this latest town, a town peopled with guards who are not only practiced swordsmen, but have a few dark practices as well.
This short story did exactly what a short piece should do. It lured me in, hooked me with the dialogue, the characters, and the fight scenes, and left me wanting to see more of Key and other characters. Beattie definitely set this up for other adventures and I for one hope to see more. Theres a real Errol Flynn feel to Key that is quite obvious and enjoyable throughout the story.
Although the dialogue could be a bit more consistent, shifting from ‘formal’ to modern vernacular here and there, PRIDE OF THE TRAVELER is most definitely a fantastic introduction into Bryce Beatties work and into the world of Caldera itself.
FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-Would love to unlock more stories with Key and crew for sure and certain!
HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD 2 Now Available for Pre-Order
On July 1, HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD VOL. 2 will be available to the whole wide world, through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and a host of other places, both offline and on. Twenty stories by some of the top names in New Pulp, mashing the western with horror, sci-fi, and fantasy – and all wrapped in a gorgeous new cover by Jim Rugg.
But say you don’t want to wait – nay, you CAN’T wait – a whole month for the release of this 368-page blockbuster. There’s no need! Pulpwork Press (in association with Anderfam Press) is now taking advance orders for HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD VOL. 2.
Here’s what you get with your pre-order:
The book, of course.
Free shipping.
A free bonus e-book: HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD: CAMPFIRE TALES. This e-book, available in just about any format you like, includes weird west stories by Josh Reynolds, Joel Jenkins, Derrick Ferguson, and Russ Anderson. These are stories that aren’t included in either of the HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD books, and this is the only way you’re going to get your hands on them. Here’s the cover.
PULPED! The Official New Pulp Podcast-Episode 2-Chronologies get PULPED!
