Saturday, May 14th, 2011 After the final panel ended for the day, most of the stalwart band of PULP ARKers, guests and fans alike, went out for a nice, large dinner at Colton’s Steak House. The table filled with over thirty guests went from one wall of their largest room to the other. As had quickly become the norm, great fun and camaraderie was had by all.
Following that, PULP ARK continued with the presentation of the first annual PULP ARK Awards! These awards covered ten categories and had been voted on after nominations were taken late last year. Nine of the awards were voted on by anyone who made a nomination in just one of the nine categories. The Lifetime Achievement Award was chosen by a hand selected committee of ten, who each made three initial nominations, then the top three of those were voted on to determine the winner.
Rob Davis and Ron Fortier accepting BEST PULP COMIC The Pulptress in the background
Several awards were accepted by their winners, others by proxies.
The First Annual PULP ARK Awards went to-
BEST BOOK-Gregg Taylor for TALES OF THE RED PANDA: THE ANDROID ASSASSINS
BEST COVER-Anthony Perkins for TALES OF THE RED PANDA: THE ANDROID ASSASSINS
BEST SHORT STORY-Phil Bledsoe for THE MOUNTAIN GOATS OF MADNESS
Tommy Hancock accepting BEST PULP MAGAZINE
BEST INTERIOR ART-ANTHONY CASTRILLO for THE ROOK, VOLUME 5
BEST PULP COMIC-Ron Fortier and Redbud Studios for BOSTON BOMBERS
BEST PULP MAGAZINE-Fuller Bumpers and Tommy Hancock and Pro Se Productions for MASKED GUN MYSTERY
BEST PULP REVIVAL-Adam Lance Garcia for GREEN LAMA UNBOUND
BEST AUTHOR-Barry Reese
BEST NEW WRITER-Tommy Hancock
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD-Tom and Ginger Johnson
Art Sippo Accepting Lifetime Achievement Award for Tom and Ginger Johnson
Following the award, the first annual PULP ARK Art Auction was held. Three artists contributed pieces-Rob Davis of Airship 27 and Pete Cooper and Dalton Carpenter of Pro Se Productions. Although the bidding was quick, there were a few heated wars amongst fans for some of the available pieces, but everyone enjoyed themselves and it must be noted 80% of the proceeds went back to the artist! This will be an event that will continue at PULP ARK!
Barry Reese Accepting BEST AUTHOR Award
A major announcement, or actuall revelation was made during the Awards and Auction. The mysterious masked lady that had been seen frequently since Pulp Ark started, at one point in her standard striped shirt, suspenders, skirt, and fedora and at another in a rather stylish cowgirl outfit, was on hand to give out the awards. Her identity was revealed by Tommy Hancock to be that of THE PULPTRESS! Hancock explained that this Pulp Heroine for the 21st Century would be promoting Pro Se Productions but equally as important would be the spokesmodel for the New Pulp Movement as well. The applause and pictures being snapped around the room signalled that this announcement was a positive one. The Pulptress, still shrouded in mystery, was very pleased to be a part of all the activity and vowed to promote New Pulp along with her never ending battle against Evil. You can now join The Pulptress’s page on Facebook! Just search for The Pulptress and she’ll be there!
Tommy Hancock accepting BEST NEW WRITER Award
After the Convention wrapped up for the evening, most of the participants once more gathered in the Comfort Suites conference room for an impromptu New Pulp meeting. The results of this conversation are still being developed and will be announced soon!
Everyone, after breakfast together at the hotel, arrived at the only full day of PULP ARK programming ready to learn and listen in the PULP ARK classrooms and panels. The information shared, the tips given, and the chance for fans and creators to talk to some of the leading New Pulp publishers and writers made the second day of PULP ARK one well worth remembering.
Covering the Panels and Classrooms in order-
Wayne Skiver and his son Victor!
9-10 AM-CLASSROOM-Wayne Skiver’s ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT DOC SAVAGE! This classroom’s title speaks for itself. AGE OF ADVENTURE Publisher and Doc Savage historian Wayne Skiver discussed many things Doc with several PULP ARK attendees and fans. Using visual aids of all sorts, Wayne delved into Doc’s history, impact and influence!
10-11 AM-PANEL-Meet Pro Se Productions!
From Left-Christina (Ken’s Fiance and hopefully future Pro Se Artist), Ken, Nancy, and Lee , Pro Se Creators!
PANELISTS Fuller Bumpers Barry Reese Lee Houston, Jr. Ken Janssens Nancy Hansen Erwin K. Roberts Pete Cooper Kicked off with a quick introduction by Tommy Hancock, the Pro Se Family of creators shared their histories, their concepts, and their creations with fans and other creators. Each discussed the properties they have with Pro Se, current plans, and future possibilities!
1-2:00 PM-CLASSROOM-ROB DAVIS-How to Pick a Pulp Scene to Illustrate
Rob Davis teaching Class!
A crucial part of the Pulp Experience, for Classic and New Pulp alike, is the involvement of an artist. Airship 27 Partner and Artist Extraordinaire Rob Davis gave pointers on how to determine which scene of a story to illustrate for the greatest impact and best compliment to the tale being told!
2-3:00 PM-AIRSHIP 27 PANEL-Writing New Classic Pulp Adventures Moderator – Ron Fortier
Airship Panel! From Left, Ron Fortier, Van Plexico, Bob Kennedy, Art Sippo, Barry Reese, Bobby Nash
PANELISTS Van Plexico Art Sippo Robert Kennedy Barry Reese Bobby Nash
Moderated by one of the first publishers and authors to break into New Pulp, this Panel focused on the ins and outs of creating, writing, and promoting New Pulp Adventures, stories that would appeal to all types, young and old, collector and fan, avid reader or curious passer-by! The minds and voices of this Panel are major forces in the movement that is known as New Pulp!
3-4:00 PM- CLASSROOM- TOMMY HANCOCK-History AND Pulp-Bringing Reality and Fiction Together
BOOK CAVE’s Ric Croxton(left) and Tommy Hancock
New Pulp Author and Publisher and Masters Level Historian Tommy Hancock discussed and explained the truth behind the adage ‘Reality is Stranger than Fiction’ and pointed out various points in World and US History that were more pulpy than any author could write. Hancock also illustrated how to best utilize History in Pulp and ways it would improve stories and increase interest.
From Left- BOOK CAVE’S Ric Croxton, Bobby Nash, Van Plexico, Wayne Reinagel
PANELISTS Wayne Reinagel Bobby Nash
Led by Van Plexico, the man who almost single-handedly pioneered Cosmic super hero tales in the New Pulp Movement, these three epic authors discussed very concepts of Super Heroes, what makes these stories Pulps, how to develop characters and ways to make Super Hero Pulp tales exciting, fast paced, and more engaging than comic books!
From Left-Barry Reese, Ron Fortier, Derrick Ferguson, Tommy Hancock, Bobby Nash
The first panel of the first ever Pulp Ark was hosted and manned by six of the seven men behind the first full blown news site dedicated to Pulp. Six of the Spectacled Seven (You were missed, Sarge Portera!) made up this panel and shared news from various New Pulp publishers, a lot of which they were involved in in some way or another…..Taking one at a time, we’ll start with…
Art Sippo watching (from left) Derrick Ferguson, Tommy Hancock, Bobby Nash, Van Plexico
Barry Reese-
Barry Reese (on right) with Ron Fortier
Has stories in The Green Hornet Casefiles and The Avenger Justice Inc. Files from Moonstone.
Rook Volume Six is coming out in late May- Early June, 2011 from Pro Se Productions
The Family Grace Collection, focusing on the adventuring family that is the backbone of the Rook Universe, is coming out later this year from Pro Se Productions.
Lazarus Gray vol. 1, a collection of Reese’s Sovereign City Project stories, will be out in September, 2011 and his first full length Lazarus Gray novel, DIE GLOCKE, is in progress.
Bobby Nash-
Bobby Nash (on right) with Wayne Reinagel
Bobby has a few anthologies and comic books coming out featuring stories in the next several months. Theose include The Green Hornet Casefiles (Moonstone), Tales From The Zero Hour Vol. 4: Weird Tales (Blinding Force Productions), Lance Star: Sky Ranger Vol. 3 (Airship 27), Secret Agent X Vol. 4 (Airship 27), The Danger People (New Babel Books), Aym Geronimo and the Post Modern Pioneers: Tall Tales, The Ruby Files (Airship 27), Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (Moonstone), The Wraith (Airship 27), The Avenger (Moonstone), Domino Lady Vs. The Mummy (Moonstone), untitled Abyss Walker Universe anthology, Frontier (BEN Books), and more.
Van Plexico-
Van Plexico (on right) with Bobby Nash
Van’s new Sentinels novel, STELLARAX, from White Rocket Books, will be in stores by mid-June. It is the seventh volume in the series overall, and completes the big, cosmic “Rivals” trilogy.
A story (“Thunder Over China”) in LANCE STAR: SKY RANGER, Vol. 3, coming soon from Airship 27.
Van is involved in Bobby Nash’s and Sean Taylor’s upcoming SF action anthology.
Van’s 45,000-word novella is featured in the second MARS McCOY: SPACE RANGER anthology from Airship 27, coming possibly later this year.
Van created and is editing an SF action-adventure anthology for White Rocket Books: BLACKTHORN: THUNDER ON MARS. It’s a sort of John Carter – meets – Thundarr deal. Look for that one toward the end of the year.
Derrick Ferguson-
Derrick Ferguson (on right) with Art Sippo
A Fortune McCall collection, part of the Sovereign City Project, later this year (October) from Pro Se Productions
A special project with Joshua Reynolds forAirship 27 Productions.
A collection of Dillon stories later this year from Pulpwork Press.
Ron Fortier-
KALUTABOARDS AIRSHIP 27
Ron Fortier (on left) with Barry Reese
World famous graphic artist, Michael Kaluta has signed on to provide both cover art and interior illustrations for Airship 27 Productions forthcoming title, CHALLENGER STORM, Isle of Blood; the first in a new pulp series by writer Don Gates.
Kaluta’s comics work began in the 1970s working on such titles as “House of Secrets” and “Web of Horror.”It was during this time he created fortune teller Madam Xanadu for Editor Joe Orlando.His work on DC’s Shadow comics is considered the best graphic portrayal of that classic pulp hero ever produced.He also illustrated Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Carson of Venus for that same company.From 1975 to 1979, he was a member of “The Studio” along with Barry Windsor-Smith, Bernie Wrightson and Jeff Jones.He’s an award winning painter and illustrator who had contributed to role playing games and illustrated numerous music album covers.In 2003 he was named a Spectrum Grand Master in recognition of his vast and influential body of work.
“We, at Airship 27 Productions are extremely thrilled and honored to be working with a true living legend of American art,” said Ron Fortier, Managing Editor.Airship 27 Productions is one of the leading producers of new pulp fiction novels and anthologies, their titles being published by Cornerstone Book Publishers of New Orleans.
Challenger Storm is a rollicking, old fashion pulp adventure in the grand tradition of Doc Savage and Captain Hazzard and is Gates’ first book in a planned series.“We hope to have the book out by the end of the year,” Fortier went on to add.“Mr. Kaluta is always much in demand and we are not about to rush such beautiful artwork.”Kaluta’s latest foray into pulp prose will soon be seen on the cover of Moonstone’s Green Hornet Casefiles due out in few weeks.
PHANTOMSCRIBETACKLESS & SNOVEL
Airship 27 Table at PULP ARK!
Airship 27 Productions is pleased to announce that well known Phantom comic writer, Mike Bullock, has agreed to write a new sword & sorcery novel for the company titled THE RUNEMASTER.
Bullock is an award winning fiction writer, poet and former professional musician. Born in WashingtonDC, Bullock grew up reading comic books, comic strips and pulp fiction. He’s translated this love of fast-paced imaginative story-telling into a successful career as a comic book and prose author. Having worked on enduring characters from Black Bat and Captain Future to Sonic the Hedgehog and Zorro, Bullock cemented his place in the annals of speculative fiction by authoring more Phantom stories than any other American author aside from Lee Falk. His original works include Lions, Tigers and Bears, The Gimoles, Death Angel and more. Bullock’s Lions, Tigers and Bears was optioned by Paramount Pictures in 2010 as a feature film.
TheRunemaster marks Bullock’s first foray into novel writing and tells the story ofSkarl Kirwall, a man born during the Last Great War and destined to lead his clan as the next Runemaster. When he is betrayed by a friend, Skarl is banished from his village and later learns of its destruction at the hands of their bitter enemies, the Ysling clan.
While mourning the loss of his family and clan, Skarl discovers the woman he loves has been dragged off to be sacrificed to Ysfang, the World Serpent. Armed with only his mighty sword and cunning, Skarl sets off across the frozen wastes to rescue her and somehow regain his rightful role as the Runemaster.
Forged in the fires of Conan, Beowulf and Braveheart, steeped in Norse legendry and baptized in the blood of those who would oppose him comes the Runemaster.
Tommy Hancock –
From Moonstone Entertainment-
Moonstone at PULP ARK!
RETURN OF THE MONSTERS! Moonstone Announces Halloween Pulps
Coming this October from Moonstone Books – Four pulp horror books sure to frighten and delight you.
In ANGELS AND THE UNDEAD writer Mike Bullock and artist Eric Johns tell a tale of spine-chilling fear as Death Angel and Black Bat team up to face none other than the Lord of Vampires: Dracula in the haunted halls of the historic Phaidor Hotel.
THE WEREWOLF WAR MASSACRES written by Martin Powell and illustrated by Jay Piscopo asks the question “Has the Master of Men finally met his Monstrous Match?”
From the mind of Aaron Shaps comes the third book, PHANTOM DETECTIVE: THE BLOOD OF FRANKENSTEIN the monster enjoys a new lease on life, illustrated by Kalman Andrasofszky and Jim McKern.
The fourth Halloween horror from Moonstone was announced at PULP ARK by author Bobby Nash. Bobby recently completed and submitted to Tombstone a script entitled THE PERFECT MATE pitting The Domino Lady against The Mummy! Art will be handled by Rock Baker and Jeff Austin.
Covers for at least three of these pulp terror tales brought to you by Dan Brereton.
Look for these and more in October, only from Moonstone Books.
Decoder Ring Theater
Tommy Hancock
Tommy is penning a new six episode series for Decoder Ring Theater. Known for its audio drama podcasts starring fan favorites The Red Panda and Black Jack Justice, DRT, headed up by Gregg Taylor, is the home for great modern pulp audio. Hancock’s new series, THE WEIRD WEST ADVENTURES OF HUNT AND PECK, is based on characters created by Taylor for a recent episode of DRT’s RED PANDA where The Panda and his sidekick The Flying Squirrel go back in time to the Old West. Hancock’s six episodes will pick up where THE WILD WEST episode leaves off.
Pro Se Productions
Nancy Hansen and Ken Janssens with Pro Se at PULP ARK
Pro Se is moving into audio!! Tommy Hancock announced that in partnership with Broken Sea Audio, Pro Se would be releasing audio book versions of some of its product this year, including issues of its three magazine titles, Hancock’s own novel, YESTERYEAR, and Barry Reese’s THE ROOK, VOLUME SIX.
Tommy reviewed upcoming publications from Pro Se Productions, including works by Nancy Hansen, Lee Houston, Jr., Ken Janssens and others.
BULLOCK BRINGS TOTEM TO PRO SE!
Pro Se Productions was also proud to reveal that Mike Bullock, noted author of Moonstone’s THE PHANTOM, writer of comics such as SAVAGE BEAUTY, and an upcoming BLACK BAT Original Graphic Novel as well as his own original work, including LIONS, TIGERS, AND BEARS, will be joining the ranks of Pro Se for his first every prose short story collection!
Bullock brings an original character like none other to Pro Se’s stellar cast of characters. Bullock’s TOTEM, VOLUME ONE will feature four stories focused on the title character, one rich in both history and tied to the supernatural! Expect TOTEM VOLUME ONE by Mike Bullock to be out early next year from Pro Se Productions and stay tuned to http://www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com/ for more information on this fantastic creation by one of today’s best New Pulp writers as it becomes available!
Tommy Hancock, Pulp Ark Coordinator and Partner in Pro Se Productions, the company behind the first annual Convention/Creators’ Conference being held in Batesville, AR, May 13-15th, announced a rather unique event being held the evening of the 13th at the Cinnamon Stick, the historic building serving as the inaugural site for the first Pulp Ark.
“Friday night,” Hancock stated, “we will be hosting an event we’re calling ‘Radio Lives Again.‘ The concept is simple in theory and we’ll see how easy or hilarious or both it is in actual practice. Basically we are taking scenes from various New Pulp stories written by authors in attendance at Pulp Ark and will be dramatizing them live on stage for an audience at 6 PM Friday. We will do this in the style of old time radio, where actors come up to the microphones with scripts, act out the scene complete with sound effects and even possibly music. No rehearsal, no second takes, true live radio like entertainment. And our actors, we’ll pick them from the audience in attendance.”
When asked what authors were being spotlighed, Hancock reported, “We have a list of all those we want to make sure get a few minutes of this wonderful experience. Truthfully, though, this idea is a fairly recent one, so getting even a few pages adapted could be a chore. The current plan is to have scenes from one of my works as well as from stories by Ron Fortier, Van Allen Plexico, Wayne Reinagel, Bobby Nash, and Barry Reese. If luck is with us, we will have three-five minutes from each of these fine New Pulp authors to add to this show, a show that will be, again if luck is with us, recorded and made available for free in coming days on the New Pulp website as well as other locations.”
Radio Lives Again will begin at 6PM Friday, May 13th, 2011 at The Cinnamon Stick at 151 W. Main in Batesville, AR. Stay tuned to ALL PULP for up to the minute updates from this event and others at PULP ARK!
AP: Andrew, welcome back to All Pulp. You’re back in the spotlight due to a new novel. Give us a brief over view of THE DARK LAND, now out from Airship 27/Cornerstone Publishing.
Thanks for having me! It’s great to be back! What a great time to be a pulp creator!
As for the new novel, The Dark Land, the book is my attempt to create a plausible near-future sci-fi police procedural.
The year is 2049 and the world has been decimated by a terrorist-launched pandemic which killed billions. On the heels of that catastrophe, a series of natural disasters have reshaped most of the globe. When we join the story, the survivors are still digging themselves out and trying to rebuild. To that end, and to stem the tide of chaos and lawlessness that reigns everywhere, the governments of the world turn to science, in this case, cloning.
The terrible attack on New York of September 2001 killed so many police and firemen that a program was put in place shortly after to preserve the DNA and digital mindfiles (or brain maps) of experienced police and firemen so that in case of similar disasters, a ready cadre of experienced men and women could be created to maintain order. However all of the personal memories of the recruits for the Special-Operative program have been erased from the mindfiles, leaving only the professional abilities. The clones have all the tools they need with which to do their jobs, they are given computer-generated names and are pressed into service.
But there is something wrong with C-Peter Reilly, the protagonist of the tale. You see, he remembers his past life, all of it. And if Special-Ops finds out about it, he’ll never see the light of day. The novel follows his journey through this new world as he tries to come to grip with who he is while he and his partner hunt an elusive killer who has murdered a clone so fresh out of the tank that the crime seems to be without motive.
AP: From the plot, THE DARK LAND falls deftly into the science fiction category. Do you consider it to be a Pulp tale as well? What if anything makes one science fiction tale pulp and another not?
As to your first question, the answer is, strictly speaking: sort of. The Dark Land is not straight Golden Age hero pulp although it is definitely pulp inspired and has a lot in common with the hardboiled tradition of mystery fiction I love dearly. I cut my teeth on Mickey Spillane, Cornell Woolrich, John D MacDonald, Jim Thompson, Fredric Brown, James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and so many others… As one reader put it: “The Dark Land reads like James Ellroy meets Ray Bradbury” and being compared to those giants is tremendous praise indeed. Seeing as hardboiled fiction sprang up during the Golden Age of pulp, I suppose there is a lineage there. And hey, C-Peter Reilly is a Doc Savage fan in the book so, if you look close enough, you’ll see my pulp roots are showing. Ha!
Your second question is an excellent one and I’ll do my best here to answer it. As any pulp fan knows, pulp is not a genre but, rather, an approach to writing genre fiction. Among the various tricks we writers have in our pulp bags, for me, the most telling characteristic of what makes a pulp tale is pace. Pulp fiction, good, bad, wonderful, brilliant or terrible MOVES! Pulp tales rollick along at a breakneck pace and never let you come up for air. Now whether you’re walking the streets of some near-future society like in The Dark Land, riding the range, tearing down a 1930s avenue or fighting Martians with Edgar Rice Burroughs, pulp science-fiction tales have got to go, go, GO!
AP: Your hero in THE DARK LAND has an internal conflict to deal with as well as all the external ones he encounters. How is he affected or defined by the conflicts boiling within him and is this sort of conflict appropriate for a Pulp tale?
Well, how do we define ourselves? Are we our professions, our possessions, our associations? Or are we defined by our personality and our private needs? These are the questions The Dark Land asks through the character of C-Peter Reilly. This question of identity, the duality of a secret identity, is a mainstay of pulp fiction and the comic genre it gave birth to. Think of Richard Wentworth’s lamenting the life he and Nita Sloane can never have because of the Spider. Or Doc Savage’s ineptitude around women because he’s been raised from the cradle with an emphasis on intellectual pursuits. Who is the Shadow? What kind of personal life can Secret Agent X have? This question of identity is one that runs through the rich history of pulp although it was often not explored to any great degree.
Special-Operative C-Peter Reilly exists for one reason, and one reason only, to be a policeman. He was created by society to serve society. He was not given a choice in this. Having been grown from the genetic material of a policeman, his natural inclination is to roll up his sleeves and do what he can to keep the streets safe. That’s what cops do. But this future world he wakes up in is not his world. His memories are from our time and being harvested to fight for what’s left of the world doesn’t sit well with him. The clone world in the novel is not a pleasant place at times. There is a certain degree of amorality, clones are cavalier about themselves and somewhat ambivalent about the society they are sworn to protect – a society that views them more as a bunch of Frankenstein’s monsters than fellow human beings.
Thus the novel, unlike the classic pulps of the past, explores choice and sacrifice in, I feel, a unique way. Reilly is torn between his devotion to duty and his own desires. What is the cost of doing the right thing? What is the right thing to do?
Also, in a way, cops are pulp heroes, aren’t they? Think about it, pulp heroes put on a “uniform” strap on guns, have no super powers, and hit the streets looking to stop crime. Cops, both real and fictional, do this every day!
AP: Enough beating around the bush. You push the envelope of Pulp, some would say, a couple of different ways with THE DARK LAND. Do you agree and if so, how are you pushing the boundaries? And how far is too far before a story is no longer Pulp?
To answer the first question, I’d say the novel pushes the pulp envelope with regards to identity and choice. C-Peter Reilly has the most in common with Secret Agent X, I feel. X has no identity, no personal life beyond his love for Betty Dale. He is his job. Simple as that. Clones grown to serve fit this mould as well. The novel pushes the envelope by exploring this aspect of the selfless hero. Reilly begins the novel on shaky ground and experience see-saws his thoughts back and force throughout the tale in a way the Agent would never be tested. Reilly is forced to question his place in a world he knows needs his help. That is not an easy question for a hero to answer. It’s not an easy question for any of us!
As for going too far, that one is easy. When the story becomes solely about character or world building, becomes bogged down by these, then the writer has strayed out of pulp territory. If you recall what I said earlier about pace, getting too introspective with characters or exploring the fictional world you’ve created at the expense of the plot can grind the pace down to a dead stop. Pulp is about plot with character and setting thrown in to sweeten the pot. The Dark Land deals with the questions we’ve been discussing but within the context of a murder investigation. The murder is a product of the world Reilly finds himself inhabiting and the trick is to sprinkle character and setting throughout the murder investigation, dole them out gradually so that the plot can keep moving. I believe this is something that the best modern pulp writers do better than the greats of old. I’ve taken a crack at it here and only readers can tell me if I’ve pulled it off.
AP: In the future you imagine in THE DARK LAND, cloning is accepted, even if the resulting clones are not always. What are your thoughts on cloning? Is the future you depict in THE DARK LAND a possible real future for us in your opinion?
Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s accepted in the world of the novel. Tolerated sounds more appropriate. Clones are a necessary evil in The Dark Land. Much the same way some view the police today. As for my personal view? Cloning is dangerous – not in an evil-doppelganger-let-lose-in-the-world way, but, rather, it can and will be a powerful tool in the years to come. One we had better be careful how we use. I touch upon some of the darker aspects of cloning in the book as far as privacy and identity are concerned. In the novel, celebrity clones people brothels for all manner of illicit activity. That’s the kind of thing I’m talking about here.
The world of the novel is as realistic as I could make it. I tried to stay away from the Blade Runner approach. Don’t get me wrong, I love that film and it has gone on to inspire countless good, and not so good, visions of the future. The downside of that is that these futures are always dark, it’s always night and it seems to be always raining. The world of The Dark Land is dark in that there has been so much tragedy. However amidst the devastation, the world is rebuilding. The sun does shine in the novel although it illuminates a world still mired in ugliness. The terrorist attacks of 2001, Katrina, the recent quakes in Japan have all been terrible, terrible catastrophes. And yet, the world goes on. Human beings are characterized by our adaptability and I believe that, barring an all-encompassing disaster, we can survive anything. The world of The Dark Land is one I hope readers will be able to relate as a possible world not that much unlike our present. There is hope in the novel. It’s dusty, broken, and a little hard to find in the rubble, but it’s there.
AP: Going off topic only a little, you’ve come out as an author in the recently titled NEW PULP Movement. What is New Pulp and what do you feel your work in general and THE DARK LAND specifically bring to the New Pulp table?
NEW PULP, for me, represents an attempt to swing the pulp pendulum. When the internet touched off the pulp renaissance we pulp fans and creators are basking in today, the focus was on making the wonderful pulp tales of the past readily and affordably available to rabid pulp fans everywhere. This was a fantastic development. The internet brought pulp fans together, allowed collectors to scour the inventories of countless pulp dealers all over the world through ebay and store websites. And pulp, frankly, exploded! Yahoo!
Amidst all of this expanded interest in the great old magazines we all know and love, the internet also allowed modern day creators to share what began as fan fiction through free postings, email and so on. Then, before you knew it, publishers started to creep forward and collect the best of these new pulp adventure tales featuring both old and new characters. It started small, with a few publishers here and there like Airship 27, Moonstone, Wild Cat Books and so on. And it didn’t take long before these publishers started offering their wares at pulp conventions and book stores and writers and artists everywhere began creating more and more new tales, new characters and the like.
New creators like myself are expanding the art form we love, taking it into uncharted waters. Pulp in the 1930s was all about experimentation, trying new things. And that’s what’s happening today with New Pulp. Like all creative fiction, pulp is growing, evolving while staying true to its roots.
The Dark Land was written along these lines. As I’ve stated above, it was an attempt to create a plausible, recognizable future and people it with characters one might find in the classic hardboiled fiction of yesteryear. And to give this concoction a modern spin.
I’ve tried to do the same with the classic characters I’ve been privileged to write: Secret Agent X, Sherlock Holmes, Jim Anthony, the Black Bat, Dan Fowler… The key is to stay true to the characters while giving them a somewhat modern sensibility.
New Pulp is not necessarily about change, but rather, it’s about exploring possibilities. Pulp creators of the past worked at a frantic pace with deadlines staring them in the face. Modern creators don’t work under that kind of compressed timeframe. There’s room and time now to let pulp breathe, go down a few dark alleys and see what we can find.
New Pulp celebrates the evolution and continuance of this fantastic fiction by recognizing the contributions of so many wonderful creators working today. New Pulp states proudly that it’s time for the wonderful tales and artwork being created today to legitimately carry the art form forward. Those working in pulp today, in whatever capacity, represent the future of this art form. We haven’t forgotten the past – how could we? – but it’s time to focus more on the future.
AP: With New Pulp being designated as such, what do you feel the impact of this movement will be? What appeals to you about being a part of New Pulp?
In the last five years, so many talented creators: writers, artists, editors and the like have thrown their hat in the pulp ring that we now have new pulp stories coming out of our ears! To put it simply, there has never been a better time to be a pulp fan. There already exists a Mount Everest of fantastic old material and now a mountain of New Pulp is being created, all around us, every day. Why climb only one pulp mountain when there are two to conquer?
The sheer number of creators churning out new pulp tales is staggering! And that number keeps growing. It’s gotten to the point that modern day pulp publishers have become the Street and Smiths and Popular Publications of today! It’s no longer simply hobbyist creating pulp on a small scale for their immediate circle to savor. Rather the revolution is in full swing and modern pulpsmiths are the Lester Dents, Walter Gibsons and Norvell Pages of the 21st Century! Hundreds of creators, all over the world, are carrying pulp forward, building on the unforgettable greats of the past who inspired us all. Sure, it’s not all brilliant but neither were all the tales from the Golden Age. We’re in the Bronze Age of pulp now and this Doc Savage fan finds that most satisfying.
Publishers will soon be displaying the New Pulp seal on their releases and by doing so are stating for the record that new pulp fiction is here, it’s growing, it’s wonderful and fans everywhere, old and new, are invited to join the party!
Those of us working in pulp today truly love this art form. It’s as simple as that. And this pulp writer is honored to be able to do what I can to bring the form forward into the future. By banding together to declare our arrival as legitimate heirs to the pulp throne, I believe writers, creators and publishers of today make a bold statement. We are putting pulp on our backs and carrying it forward. It’s not about replacing the great works of the past, it’s about adding to them. Modern pulp tales are canon! This is New Pulp’s rallying cry.
Being part of the New Pulp revolution is a great honor. As I said above, creators today love this art form and I share that deep devotion. Pulp fiction is great fun! It’s exciting to write and I’m having a ball. I’m truly inspired by the creators of the past and try to channel that inspiration into my work. When I sit down to write a Secret Agent X tale (or any other great, old character) I do not do so lightly. I don’t consider the works of the past greats as mere fertilizer for whatever tale I’m growing. Rather, I take it as a sacred trust to do the character right, to honor the work of those who created him or her. And I know I’m not alone in this. Most of the pulp creators working today are devoted to honoring what has come before while adding to the rich legacy of the past.
AP: You’ve done a significant bit of work with Airship 27 Productions. What about this particular publishing outfit appeals to you?
There are a lot of great pulp publishers out there today! It’s wonderful! I’ve had the good fortune to work for Pro Se and am still trying to creep my way into Moonstone but, for me, Airship 27 produces the best overall pulp books on the market today. And I don’t say that to take anything away from the other publishers. The ol’ Airship has a lot of stiff competition let me tell you!
Ron Fortier and Rob Davis run a fun outfit and I’m honored to be a part of it. Plus they are truly great guys as I found out a couple of years ago when I got to attend Windy City and hang out with them for a few days. Same goes for Michael Poll and Cornerstone Book Publishers who publishers the books and gets them out there. Thanks to them I’ve had the chance to write some truly great pulp characters, publish two novels, co-write a third and picked up three pulp award nominations (and one win!) in the process.
The amount of work I’ve done for Airship 27 (10 books and counting!) is also a direct result of my personal sense of loyalty. They were the first ones to take an interest in my work, they gave me a shot and I’m a team player. When a publisher brings me into the fold, they don’t just get a pulp writer, they get a one-man promotion machine who will get behind them and promote, promote, promote. I’m not a sit back and wait for a royalty check kind of writer. I’ll bang the drums and shout from the rooftops to promote any project I’m a part of. I do this as my way of saying thanks to the publisher for taking a chance on me and I do it gladly. For Airship’s popular Sherlock Holmes line of anthologies, I promoted the books (via the internet) in more than 20 countries! Yeah, I roll up my sleeves and get to work! Ha!
Another reason it seems I write exclusively for Airship 27 is, frankly because, aside from Pro Se and Moonstone, no one else has ever asked me to do anything for them! I love Airship 27 but I’ve got plenty of pulp to spread around and would gladly do some work for another outfit if the opportunity arose. I took a stab at writing the Green Hornet for Moonstone, which, sadly, didn’t work out although I enjoyed the experience immensely. And I’m open to working with them again, anytime. Same goes for any other pulp publisher out there. Our lines our open and we’re waiting for your call! I work cheap and write fast! Drop me a line! Seriously.
AP: You’ve done quite a bit of work on Public Domain characters and/or concepts that were created by others. THE DARK LAND is an original work of your own. Which do you prefer and why?
Great questions! I’m a sucker for research! I love it! So when a public domain character comes along, I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the history of that character and learn every bit I can about him or her. Imagine: reading pulp adventure tales as work! Welcome to Heaven #7, friends! In a way, writing public domain characters is easier because the groundwork has been done for you. That said, one still has to dive into the history, which is time consuming but oh so much fun let me tell you!
In a way, writing original concepts set in the classic period is very similar to working with established characters. The difference being one is reading history not classic pulp fiction. Hindsight is, I feel, the one tool that sets modern pulpsmiths apart from the greats of the past. We have the benefit of being able to look back and know where the history is going while the writers of the 1930s had only their present to work with. I try to inject as much real history as I can into my pulp tales as I can. The same way I strove to create a plausible future in The Dark Land, I work towards re-creating a realistic 30s world for my classic pulp tales.
As far as which I prefer goes, I guess my answer depends on time. If a deadline looms, then working with established characters is best because you can hit the ground running and learn as you go. But if time is not a factor, then taking the time to create something completely new and different is great, great fun! Ron Fortier and I had a blast creating the Ghost Squad, not only the characters but the trappings and gadgets they used in their battle against the Black Legion. Helping Mark Halegua hone his Red Badge creation was also very rewarding and being allowed to explore the worlds of Mars McCoy the Pulp Factory created was also a lot of fun.
The simple answer: I love ’em both but circumstances determine which I love more at any given time.
AP: You have an interesting concept you’re working on. Willing to share a little about your German pulp work?
Okay. Well, before I get into the current work, a little history lesson might be in order. My personal history, that is. You see, I’ve always been fascinated by World War Two. I’m not alone in this but my fascination has taken me down some interesting paths. Thing is I’ve always loved the German stuff! Not the ideology! Not what they stood for! I want to be 100% clear on that! I’ve just always thought that their stuff looked cooler than the Allied stuff. When I was a kid I used to build Tiger tank and Stuka models while my brothers built Shermans and Spitfires.
From this lifelong fascination I wrote The Light Of Men, a science-fiction novel set in a Nazi concentration camp. The book was my first work for Airship 27 and the 12 years I spent researching and writing the novel paid off when I heard from readers that, upon finishing the book, they felt as if they had spent time in one of those hellish camps, which was the reading experience I’d been going for.
Seeing as The Light Of Men is not, strictly speaking, a pulp novel although it is an adventure story, it got me thinking of doing a tale of German pulp heroes, combining two of my favorite interests, and from this All-Men: The Shadow-Line was born.
There’s not too much I can tell you about the novel at this point except to say that it’s going to surprise a lot of people. The basic concept is that a team of Berlin-based, German pulp heroes is forced to leave Nazi Germany in 1938 and are unable to return to the city until July 1945, when the US, Britain and France take over their sections of it. What follows will, I hope, be a tale that keeps readers glued to their seats. I’m exploring aspects of the pulp hero I don’t think have been touched on to date and doing it in a way that I hope will be fresh, interesting and entertaining. That’s all I’m prepared to say about the story at the moment. I’ve just passed 50,000 words on it after putting in a year of research and the writing experience has been the most rewarding pulp I’ve written to date. Here’s an All Pulp exclusive: Pulp Factory Award winning artist Mike Fyles will be handling the artist chores on the book – a development for which I get down on my knees every day and thank the pulp gods. He’s already done some preliminary paintings of the heroes rolling around between my ears and the work is absolutely fantastic. Pulp fans are going to be blown away, and that’s a promise! And that’s all you’re going to get for now! Airship 27 is game to publish the thing. That is, if I can ever get it finished!
AP: Other than the aforementioned, what can Pulp fans expect from Andrew Salmon in the near future?
There are other irons in the fire that’s for sure. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Volume Three should be out very soon and I’ve got a tale in that. I’ve also contributed a Rick Ruby tale to the anthology of the same name. Ruby is the creation of Bobby Nash and Sean Taylor and I was pleased to be able to contribute a tale to the anthology of this hardboiled 30s gumshoe. Also on deck is my collaboration with Mark Halegua: Red Badge. This tale will be in the upcoming Mystery Men and Women Volume Two. All of the above are Airship 27 productions.
After that, we’ll see what happens. I’ve got a whopper of an idea for Sherlock Holmes novel. And a Secret Agent X novel is definitely in the foreseeable future. Also I would love to do a Three Musketeers novel as well. None of these are set in stone as yet and I’ve got to finish The Shadow-Line first. Other than that I’ll keep my eyes and ears open and my nose to the pulpstone. Anyone out there looking for pulp tales?
Modern Marvels – Viktoriana Wayne Reinagel ISBN 978-0981531243
As with the author’s previous books, this one is epic in scope and features multiple plotlines that all converge at the end. This time around numerous famous authors and figures are put into adventurous settings, as we learn (for instance) that the man who wrote Dracula actually had battles with the undead.
Let me start by saying that Wayne Reinagel is the most perplexing author in the New Pup movement. He writes the best action scenes in the biz but he also has several habits that drive me nuts. For instance, the opening chapter pits H Rider Haggard against a horde of vampires. It’s thrilling and was so good that I actually told my wife while reading it, “This guy’s the best pulp author alive today.” Then, less than twenty pages later, I told her, “Argh! He’s doing That Thing again!”
That Thing is delivering Wikipedia style info-dumps in the middle of the story. It’s extremely disconcerting and takes me right out of the story. It’s needed information but it’s so predictable that when you see a new character enter the scene, you know that it’s going to be followed by several paragraphs of biography. Wayne’s able to mix it up sometimes and have characters relay info to each other but far too often, it’s “Here’s Character B. Here’s Character B’s appearance. Here’s Character B’s life story. On with the adventure!”
Now, don’t get me wrong. Wayne’s characterization and action scenes are so good that I’m willing to overlook the info-dumps and I strongly encourage others to try his work if they haven’t already. The concepts here are fascinating and I love the way he ties characters together. There were scenes here that made me laugh, some that made me nearly tear up and even some that caused me to lean forward in anticipation. It’s that good — it’s just that there are things that, for me, keep this from being an absolute classic.
I really feel that Reinagel is one of the top five authors in the New Pulp movement. Depending on what chapter I’m reading at the time, I might even say he’s the very best.
This is well worth a look and continues a trend of each book by Reinagel being better than the previous one.
TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock
DILLON AND THE VOICE OF ODIN By Derrick Ferguson 178 Pages Published by Pulpwork Press
I read a lot, always have. I read a lot of Pulp, Pulp of all varieties and all stripes and eat it up like a jungle explorer lost in a desert who finished off his last camel three weeks ago. Most of what I read I like, a fair piece of it I thoroughly enjoy, but very rarely do I find something that I absolutely cannot put down, that sends me into withdrawals when I step away from it, that just completely changes my view on what good stories can be I’ve reviewed a couple of those types of tales here, but its rare.
Well, here’s another one
Derrick Ferguson’s DILLON AND THE VOICE OF ODIN is one of the best pieces of New Pulp literature I have ever read. The lead character is draped in all the trappings and traits of classic Pulp icons while having enough of his own wrinkles and scars to make him a thoroughly modern protagonist. The pacing is relentless, starting off with a seemingly day in the life of scene for Dillon which blossoms into the lead-in to a world spanning, body count multiplying, gadget filling adventure that doesn’t allow a reader, even a seasoned one like me the chance to catch his breath.
The plot is that Dillon, an adventurer who is both sought after positively by those in need of his services and wanted by almost every agency in the world with a badge and letters in its name, does a friend a favor and retrieves a ring. This ring is the key to an invention that could save or destroy the world. Odin, the holder of said invention, as well as multiple other interested parties come after Dillon for the ring and madness and murderous mayhem ensues from there.
The best parts of this book concern Ferguson’s characters and his turn of phrase. He creates such a wide panorama of characters, people who in no way should exist in what we think of the real world, yet he makes them believable, flawed, and likable, even the evil ones. That combined with his ability to wrap words around a single concept and turn into an explosion of description, narration, and thought provoking exposition, not only once or twice but on almost every page, makes DILLON AND THE VOICE OF ODIN a pure New Pulp delight to read!
FIVE OUT FIVE TIPS OF HANCOCK’S HAT-The finest kind.
I sat down to write this…what you are reading…as an announcement and it is that, of course.But it’s not an announcement of a new Pro Se magazine or book, although Pro Se Productions will obviously be involved…obvious when you finish reading this, that is.It’s not a new ALL PULP column even though ALL PULP and any other news site, blog, page, etc. that is interested in Pulp will be a part of it if they choose to be.And it’s most definitely not a Tommy Hancock project.I hope to be pivotal to its execution as I hope many others are, but I’m simply the guy who hopefully is the spark that starts the fuse that leads to the revolution.
Heady words, right?But I don’t feel like they’re the wrong words.
Pulp Fiction has many layers.More than a genre or a field of writing, Pulp is a historic event, has been since the first cheaply made, quickly written magazines hit the newsstands so many decades ago.Was it necessarily a whole new form of literature, then?No, not when you take into account the dime novels and such that preceded pulps.What it became, however, is an unstoppable force, an unbelievable influence on writers of the era and especially writers, both famous and unknown, of every year since.The simplistic, yet layered storytelling, the one-two punch of the dialogue and the action, and the over the top antics, characters, and resolutions that made readers believe in the amazing, the fantastic, and the incredible have leaked into modern literature in ways that no one expected.
As a writer of New Pulp, something that has been going on really since the original era of the Pulps ended, I have heard many people say and have even said myself that we are in the midst of a Pulp Renaissance.That now with the advent of things like the internet, Print on Demand, and an overall increase in interest, Pulp is becoming more and more popular and noticed every day.I believe this simply because of the number of writers, artists, and especially publishers I am aware of that haveset up shop in the last 5 or so years, creators who are simply out to do one thing-write Pulp.And even before this new crop of artisans, Pulp still had a strong foothold.Collectors, dealers, and fans of the original works and legendary stories have been active enough over the decades that Pulp has shown up at a variety of conventions and venues, even so much so that there are at least two major Pulp conventions a year, not to mention smaller dealer shows and other events throughout the year.
It’s a proven fact.Pulp, if it ever really went away, is back and with a Norvell Page like vengeance. And out of this resurgence in interest, out of the dedication of dealers and collectors keeping the love of Pulp alive, and out of the creative, inspired minds of modern creators thirsting to express their ideas, stories, thoughts through the prism of Pulp, something else has arisen.Something innovative, yet not disconnected for the established work.Something original, yet grounded solidly in inspiration and influences past.Something novel, but familiar at the same time.
This is the era of New Pulp.
Pulp will never die.What has come before will never change.Dent, Gibson, et al. will continue to be the almost mythic purveyors of this most awesome fiction.But they have descendants in spirit, authors and artists who have picked up the banner and carried the standard of Pulp forward.The past of Pulp will be preserved by the historians, touted by the collectors, distributed by the dealers, and reprinted by the fantastic resources that have taken that on.Those unbelievably great adventures will thankfully never fade away.
And out of that legacy, out of that history, out of that imaginative period and body of work has come New Pulp.
It is time to define New Pulp as its own entity.Not separate from Pulp as a whole, but as something defined within the genre.What is New Pulp?Well, as far as my definition goes, the explanation is fairly simple.New Pulp is fiction written with the same sensibilities, linear storytelling, pattern of conflict, and creative use of words and phrases of original Pulp, but crafted by modern writers, artists, and publishers.New stories with either completely original characters or new tales of established characters from Pulp past.It’s really that simple.New Pulp is Pulp written today.
So much New Pulp is now available, including work from noted pulp historians such as Will Murray and Tom Johnson as well as the entire Wold Newton family of creators and beyond.Add to that the literal multitude of mavericks and new guns that have stepped forward, myself thankfully included, and New Pulp is suddenly more than just a group of guys and gals telling stories like the ones we grew up on.It’sits own movement, its own subgenre, within Pulp as a whole.And that doesn’t mean it is set apart from Pulp as we’ve all known it until now.New Pulp will always be a part of Pulp conventions, dealers shows, and the continuing appreciation and discussion of classic Pulp and all that made it what it was.
But I think it can be that…and much more.
Here’s what I’m proposing.And understand, this is a proposal, an idea…a suggestion.Having said that, I have discussed this line of thinking with other writers and creators, even if they didn’t know what my intent was at the time we discussed it, and feel that this is the right time for a defining of New Pulp.So, I bring this to you with some ideas and concrete plans.And with an invitation, but that’ll come later.
In order to define New Pulp, to bring in new audiences, to find and take on new markets, and to shine light on this wonderful literary form that thus far has been shined elsewhere, the first step is coming together.As a publisher myself, I know that there’s a certain level of competition, that ‘my stuff has to outsell your stuff’ mindset and that’s okay.That’s healthy.But we are at a point that if we want to break out, if we want people to walk by a bookshelf and see a New Pulp title and say, ‘Hey what is this?’ and in some instances if we even want to get on some bookshelves, then we have to recognize that although we are individual creators and companies, we are also invested in the same genre.We are all a part of New Pulp.
With that in mind, here’s what I’m proposing.A push for New Pulp.Getting the word out that New Pulp exists, that it is both a part of something classic and great and is its own movement.To establish an identity for New Pulp, a way that when someone encounters a tale published, written, or drawn by a New Pulp creator, that they know they have a New Pulp work in their hands.
One way to do this is combined advertising.We need to come together and work up some ads, print, net, and otherwise, that tout New Pulp, not just as a concept, but with creators, publishers, and product from various New Pulp purveyors.Pro Se, Airship 27,Wild Cat, White Rocket, Granton City Press, Seventh Realms, Moonstone, and the list goes on.Advertising, either free or paid (with each party tossing in a share of course) is crucial to any endeavor breaking beyond its established fanbase, but it is particularly critical for a field wanting to establish itself.To that end, I had Sean Ali, a great friend and Pro Se’s designer, develop a logo that will be free for any publisher of New Pulp to use.A handful of writers and publishers have already agreed to participate in efforts under this logo and anyone else in the New Pulp field is welcome to join in.
Also, I’ll announce that PULP ARK, the writer’s conference/convention that Pro Se is hosting May 13-15, 2011 in Batesville, AR, will be the first NEW PULP Conference/Convention.At current count, 25 writers, publishers, and artists of New Pulp will be in attendance at Pulp Ark, the biggest gathering of New Pulp creators in one place to date.Dealers and collectors are also welcome and several will be present, moving everything from classic pulp magazines to reprints to cds to all sorts of Pulp related material.But Pulp Ark will focus on New Pulp creators with panels, classrooms, and programming designed to promote New Pulp and welcome fans and new readers into the world New Pulp has established.
If Pulp Ark makes the mark we feel it will, talks are already in works for adding a convention in a different location under the New Pulp banner as early as next year.This would be done in an effort to give New Pulp creators who can’t make it to Arkansas every year to have at least one other venue, maybe even two eventually, to be a part of.And of course, it would also open up New Pulp to new fans and readers.
Another aspect of this is that shared, cooperative pages can be established.Already in the works are ideas for a NEW PULP site that spotlights all New Pulp creators who wish to participate and hawks their wares, either print or e-books.That piece will take a bit to get set up, but it is in development.
These few ideas and plans are just the tip of the iceberg.As I said at the start, this is not a Pro Se or a Tommy Hancock project, but I did feel and was encouraged by others that someone had to sort of step up and take the reins.The yahoo group PulpDefined, that some of you have requested membership, will be a major workplace for the New Pulp movement.If you are interested in participating, email me at braedenalex@centurytel.net that you are a writer, artist, or publisher and wish to be a part of Pulp Defined. Or if you just have questions or comments, the same email is good for those, too.
Of course, there is no rule that says you have to identify with, work with, or even support what I’ve proposed.This is one person, with the encouragement of a few others, who has recognized a need and hopes we can come together to fill it.We are all individuals, but we are also all New Pulp.It’s time to let the world know that we not only exist, but that we are here to stay and will provide them with endless fantastic tales and exciting adventures.That is our world.That is New Pulp.
