I’m proud to be thought of as a geek. Shit, I’m so geek I don’t just have an abundance of action figures – I have among those figures a pretty substantial Barbie doll collection.
Long sad story and yes I’m straight.
I have nothing but love and respect for geeks and like I said I’m proud to call myself one.
But…
Lately I’ve been feeling a bit guilty. I’ve been wondering if I really am a geek. Yes, I love comics, video games, movies, books and TV. Yes, I tend to categorically love the sci-fi flair within those media… but am I really a geek?
I’m looking forward to the next Star Trek movie but I’m not losing any sleep over it. The announcement that the original cast was being reunited in the next Star Wars movie was interesting, but except for thinking “Duh.” I had no reaction.
I love going to the San Diego Comic Con but I couldn’t tell you when the last time I spent any time on the floor not doing business. These are just a few of the hundreds of “I could give a shit” thoughts about pop culture I harbor.
So, am I really a geek or am I just a guy who thinks owning action figures and hating Jar Jar Binks makes me a geek?
Patiently standing in the checkout line at Stop & Shop today (which was mobbed because tomorrow is the first night of Passover) I did what so many of us do – browsed the covers of the tabloids. Kim Kardashian has gained more than 40 pounds during her pregnancy. And here I didn’t even know she was enceinte! Kate Middleton, who is also pregnant, fell while attending a royal function because her heel got stuck in a grating! (Oh, no!) Jennifer Aniston reveals her wedding dress! (Somehow I doubt that.)
And then my eyes fell on a special Star magazine edition called Star Trek Collector’s Edition: Into Darkness Special.
Yeah, I couldn’t resist.
It features such things as “100 Greatest Star Trek Moments” (which were strangely not listed in order) and “The Women Who Rule Outer Space” with pictures of Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine and Jolene Blalock as T’Pol on the cover (but no Katherine Mulgrew as Captain Katherine Janeway inside?..
Which gave me the idea to list some of my favorite and most hated Star Trek what-nots. So, in no particular order:
Best cliffhanger – ST TNG, Best of Both Worlds, Part 1. “Mr. Worf – Fire!” Everybody hold your breath for a week.
Worst resolve – ST TNG, Best of Both Worlds, Part 2. “Sleep, Data.” So incredibly anticlimactic.
Best episode – ST TOS, The City on the Edge of Forever. Edith Keeler dies as she is supposed to. The universe wins. The Nazis lose. So does Jim Kirk.
Best line – ST TOS, The City on the Edge of Forever. “Let’s get the hell out of here.” No histrionics from Bill Shatner. Perfect delivery.
Best Captain – Oy. I’m not going there.
Best First Officer – Spock.
Worst. Episode. Ever. – ST TOS, Turnabout Intruder. Total histrionics from Bill Shatner. Also sets back women’s liberation 3,000,000 years.
Best Chief Medical Officer – ST TOS. Leonard H. McCoy, M.D. The good doctor also makes an appearance in the pilot episode of The Next Generation, in which he irascibly tells Data that he sounds like a Vulcan, even though “I don’t see any pointed ears on you, boy.”
Most Wasted Character – ST TNG. Deanna Troi, Ship’s Counselor. Tell your troubles to the bartender, says Guinan.
Sexiest Character Male. – ST TOS, first season. Bill Shatner, you were one hot Canadian Jew!
Sexiest Character Female. – ST TOS. Yeah, I know, if you’re of the opposite sex – from mine – you’re going to say Jeri Ryan, she of the silver catsuit. Me, I’m going with Nichelle Nichols.
Coolest Villain – ST DS9. Gul Dukat. A villain of dimensions.
Best Vulcan – ST TOS and ST TNG. Sarek
Best Human Wife to a Vulcan – ST TOS. Amanda
Best Lt. Saavik – Kirstie Alley. Did Sam Malone know that Rebecca was a
Vulcan?
Best Couple – ST DS9. Lieutenant Commander Worf and Chief Science Officer Lieutenant Jadzia Dax.
Best Bajoran – ST DS9. First Officer Major Kira Nerys.
Cutest Navigator – ST Voyager. Ensign Tom Paris.
Best Episode – ST TOS, The City on the Edge of Forever. With apologies to Harlan Ellison, I think the aired episode is better than his original teleplay.
Best Episode – ST TNG, The Inner Light. Picard lives a lifetime in twenty minutes. He also learns to play the flute.
Best Episode – ST DS9, In the Pale Moonlight. Sisko and Garak maneuver the Romulans into war. Like Bush and Cheney maneuvered us into Iraq. Sisko suffers a moral crisis over his decision. Garak doesn’t. Neither do Bush and Cheney.
Best Episode, – STVoyager – One Small Step. “The Yankees, in six,” Seven of Nine whispers to the dead to astronaut.
Best Episode – ST Enterprise – Carbon Creek. T’Pol’s grandmother gives the secret of Velcro to a financially needy college student. Let’s face it, they all pretty much sucked.
With less than two months to go before Star Trek Into Darkness opens in theaters, the Paramount marketing machine has been busy. Here are the updates for the week including activities at the movie’s app and the spoiler-rich International Trailer.
Star Trek App Mission: Scan the “Space Invader Art” at Subliminal Projects
Using cutting-edge image recognition technology, Star Trek app users who visit Subliminal Projects in Los Angeles and scan the “Space Invader” art piece outside the building this Saturday will earn 30 points towards a higher rank in the app’s Starfleet Academy.
When: Saturday, March 23, 2013
Where: Subliminal Projects
1331 West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Enter for a Chance to Win a Costume from the Film
Users of Paramount Pictures’ Star Trek app have until March 31 for a chance to win one of 50 costumes from the upcoming “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” movie. Enter the sweepstakes once a day through the end of March, only in the Star Trek app!
When: Now through March 31, 2013
Where: Click on the “Sweeps” button within the Star Trek app, available for download through the App Store and Google Play at www.StarTrekMovie.com/App
About the Sweepstakes:
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (D.C.) AND CANADA 13 AND OLDER. VOID IN QUEBEC AND WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes ends 3/31/13. For Rules, alternate entry, and complete details, visit www.startrekmovie.com/startrekapp/sweepstakes-official_rules.html. Sponsor: Paramount Pictures Corporation.
A few weeks back, an esteemed colleague of mine (oddly enough this time, not Mike Gold…) pitched a debate for my podcast: “Have nerds won? And if they have… is it a good thing?” Well, it was a great idea, and the debate on my show was fairly one sided. Now, after plenty of time to steep on the topic, I can plainly state my opinion; we have, and it is.
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:
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!
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!
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Solidly castigated for being in bad taste, Seth MacFarlane announced he was not interested in hosting the Oscars again. Watching his reception in horror, Tina Fey said “Hell, no.” So producers announced next year’s host will be Gilbert Gottfried.
To be fair, when it comes to MacFarlane I’m not necessarily your go-to guy. I thought Ted was good fun, but I have a hard time watching an entire episode of Family Guy. If I surf past it ten minutes in, I’m fine. If I watch it from the beginning but the phone rings and I actually decide to take the call, I don’t hit the TiVo button. American Dad doesn’t work for me, but it’s better than The Cleveland Show. Robot Chicken might be the finest show in the history of the medium. I loved him on Star Trek: Enterprise.
But I really enjoy MacFarlane when he’s on a talk show like Craig Ferguson or Jimmy Kimmel. Humor is in the eye of the beholder and I never, ever use the phrase “that’s not funny” without the tag “to me.” I think he’s funny, I think he’s clever, I think he might be the closest thing we’ve got in America to Ricky Gervais – except, of course, for Ricky Gervais. Who I also like. Who also was chastised for bad taste humor while hosting an awards show.
But here’s the thing. If you don’t want some bad taste on your teevee plate, don’t hire Seth MacFarlane. He’s not going to bow before the great Oscar god. That’s not what he does. He’s not Bob Hope, he’s not Johnny Carson. He’s not Billy Crystal either, although his Oscar ratings last month were 10% higher than Crystal’s the year before.
I don’t always watch the Oscars. I enjoy watching the show with my daughter because she does a fashion commentary that would make MacFarlane sound like Loretta Young. Come to think of it, that’s true of every woman with whom I’ve watched the show. Adriane wasn’t around this year, but I watched it because I like MacFarlane and, mostly, because I was hoping Ben Affleck would knock it out of the park. I might have wandered away had Christoph Waltz not copped the first award and, no, don’t blame MacFarlane or the show’s producers for Waltz’s nomination in the supporting actor category. They didn’t have anything to do with it. Grow up.
Hmmm. “Grow up.” Isn’t that Joan Rivers’ catch-phrase? Maybe she can be Gottfried’s co-host next year.
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 Savage—Skull Island!”
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.
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:
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!
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
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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Amos and Andy, Nero Wolfe, Boston Blackie, Richard Diamond….I’ve ordered these audio CD’s and more from Radio Archives and love all of them. Listening to them takes me back to a time I can barely remember. When I was a kid, I listened to Fibber McGee and Molly and the Great Gildersleeve as I dozed off at night. Imagination is a wonderful thing and I could picture the avalanche from the closet and what the outside of Gildersleeves home looked like. As an adult, the favorite is Amos and Andy….most involve the war years and at the end of most programs, they tell housewives to save used fat for the war effort. One program, Christmas/New Years 1944, they wish for peace and the soldiers coming home. My father came home from France in 1945, wounded, but ready to become the best father ever to his two year old little girl. Listening to their programs gives me a glimpse of what their lives were like as young people. Radio Archives is the only way to obtain top quality radio programs that remind us of a whole different world. I appreciate all our modern conveniences, but to go back in time as The Kingfish plans to swindle Andy once again….absolutely priceless. A big thank you to Tom Brown for his help with my most recent order. I will order via telephone from now on. I have one request, more Amos and Andy…I have all that your company offers right now, but want more. Keep up the good work.
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There’s been a lot of pushing the reset button in pop culture recently and I find the results interesting. J.J. Abrams rebooted the Star Trek franchise a few years back and, while some fans complained, I think it was successful. Certainly it was financially successful, which is what the Hollywood moguls really care about.
At the start of Daniel Craig’s run, the James Bond movies were also rebooted, culminating in the recent spectacular Skyfall, which – again this may be heresy to some – was the best Bond film ever. It’s visually stunning and takes Bond himself to greater depths and heights than I’ve seen up until now.
Sherlock Holmes has been reinterpreted into the modern age with two versions, the BBC’s magnificent Sherlock and Elementary on CBS. Both are true to the basics and it’s amazing how well the classic fictional detective gibes with modern times.
Of course, we’ve witnessed DC’s rebirth with the New 52. Again, you can argue as to whether it is artistically successful but I don’t think you can argue that it hasn’t been financially successful thus far. This summer will see a movie rebooting of Superman with Man of Steel. The Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy rebooted that cinematic history as The Amazing Spider-man did with that character’s movie version. X-Men: First Class reimagined Marvel’s mutants and so on. The next Star Wars chapter and the announced Star Wars solo films, while they will undoubtedly respect the previous movies, will probably play hob with what is known as the Extended Universe, the complex continuity that has sprung up around the films via novels, comics, games and more. Depending on how they turn out, that may not be a bad idea.
All my professional comic book writing career, I’ve played with and enjoyed continuity. I respect it but I don’t worship it and I don’t think it is cast in stone. Sometimes, continuity becomes like barnacles on the bottom of a boat and need to be scraped off in order to make the boat (or the franchise) sea/see worthy again.
One of the most successful franchises is the BBC’s Doctor Who and part of its longevity (it celebrates 50 years this year) is its ability to change the actor who is playing the Doctor. It’s built into the series; the Doctor is an alien being who regenerates from time to time into virtually a new character, played by a different actor. The new Doctor doesn’t look, act, dress or sound like any of the other incarnations. The re-invention is a part of the continuity and that’s very clever.
I think this is very healthy; characters and concepts can and should be re-examined and re-imagined for the times in which they appear. They have to speak to and reflect concerns that its current public has if they are going to remain vital and alive.
Can it be overdone or badly done? Absolutely. Some remakes get so far from what the character is about that they might as well be a different character altogether. You want to take a look at the essence of the character, what defines them, and then see how you get back to that, interpreting it for current audiences. Some folks revamp something for the sake of revamping or to put their stamp on the character. I don’t think that usually works very well. Change what needs changing, certainly, but be true to the essentials of the character or concept.
Have I always done that? I don’t think so; when I was given Suicide Squad, I didn’t go back to the few stories that were originally published and work from that. I created a new concept for the title. However, I did reference the old stories and kept them a part of continuity, albeit re-interpreting them. I think we played fair with the old stories.
On The Spectre, Tom Mandrake and I took elements from as many past versions of the character as we could while getting down to what we felt were the essentials. Really, our biggest change was not the Spectre himself but his alter-ego, Jim Corrigan. Originally, he was plainclothes detective in the 30s and our version reflected that. I think that was a key to our success.
Even with my own character GrimJack, after a certain point I drop kicked the character at least 100 years down his own timeline into (shades of the Doctor) a new incarnation. I gave him a new supporting cast and the setting changed as well. It made the book and the character fresh again and made me look at it with new eyes.
The old stories will continue to exist somewhere; they just won’t be part of the new continuity. At some point, that new continuity will be changed as well as the concepts and characters are re-interpreted for a newer audience. That way they’ll remain fresh and alive. Otherwise, they’ll just become fossilized and dead. Who wants that?
Skyfall, now out on home video from MGM, is a sheer delight, holding my attention for the entire 2:23 running time, long for a Bond film but it felt just right. The four year financially-mandated layoff between the so-so Quantum of Solace and Skyfall is barely noticeable but the passage of time is an unspoken theme for the new entry.
Daniel Craig, not at all what Ian Fleming had in mind for 007, made the character his own through sheer force of will. When he helped reboot the series with Casino Royale, my biggest complaint was that he was too old to be an MI6 agent at the beginning of his career. With Quantum a direct sequel, we were still seemingly early in Bond’s career but I bought into it.
Now, suddenly, the third film deals with Bond being ready to be retired. We’ve clearly leaped ahead in this incarnation’s timeline, having totally gained M’s confidence to the point where she risks her career and reputation on him when England needs him most. But this is a wounded Bond, one who has been beaten down, who escaped death and seemed to have walked away from his responsibilities, swapping his Walther for a bottle and obscurity. Of course, when M and his fellow agents are threatened in the most heinous of terrorist acts, he has to come back.
We’ve seen Mi6 agents go rogue before, most recently when 007 exposed the perfidy of 009 in one of the Pierce Brosnan entries. But, this is the first time we’ve seen a truly frightening threat make it so personal. Javier Bardem steals the film with his turn as Raoul Silva, an agent M seemingly abandoned when she was the Hong Kong station chief back in the 1980s. His torture left him physically and mentally broken and now he is back to exact the most painful revenge possible.
After he makes M watch MI6 HQ blowup, Bond is back and unleashed after Silva but, being a wily opponent, it’s all part of a master plan. Not only will he beat M, he will make her suffer by breaking her current favorite, Bond. And here is my only quibble with the generally excellent script from Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan (this almost makes me forgive him for Nemesis). Silva’s plan is so intricate that it is entirely reliant on split-second timing and not once does he miss a beat, making him too perfect. When our hero needs that same timing for success, it is sometimes hit, sometimes missed but Silva never seems to miss a beat, straining credulity.
After two films to restage the early days, this film nicely allows itself to be a formulaic Bond adventure starting with a breathtaking (and plausible) motorcycle chase across the rooftops of Turkey. The film opens with two musical notes that immediately suck you into the Bond experience and they hint at the Monty Norman theme until it’s time for Bond to be Bond, James Bond. The audience applauded at the sight of the Astin Martin and the film’s best line may be M’s, “Go ahead and eject me. See if I care.” The movie comes complete with a visually fun title sequence, owing plenty of Maurice Binder’s work, and ends with the traditional status quo re-established, but freshened for the future. We have Q (Ben Wishlaw), Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), and a new M (Ralph Fiennes). Then we get Craig in the gun’s sight, the blood and the Norman theme in full throttle. Bond is back and we’re promised will return.
It’s a thrilling adventure that critics say owes too much to the Bourne films but really, it’s the other way around. The Bond films have been setting the bar higher and higher through the years, challenging others to match or exceed the standard for adventure films. Thankfully, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, caretakers of the franchise, are now willing to work with a variety of screenwriters and directors to keep things fresh. I had no idea Sam Mendes had a flair for action and he was most impressive so it was inspired of a drunken Craig to offer the job to him and then tell the producers what he had done. They get credit for not dismissing the notion. And with that, I get the sense that the franchise is in good hands and with Craig aboard for one or two more, the second half-century seems to be promising.
The transfer to Blu-ray is sharp, with great color and sound. Cinematographer Roger Deakins’ work is nothing short of spectacular and the digital photography is well captured here for repeat viewings. The sound equally matches the visuals, well mixed and lush.
The armload of extras begins with Commentary with Director Sam Mendes where the director takes us through the scenes and discusses them in-depth. It’s interesting to hear how the actors helped shape his thinking and shooting so we can follow the evolution from concept to final shot. We’re reminded that Star Trek Nemesis director Stuart Baird is a terrific film editor as seen here. There’s additional Commentary with Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson and Production Designer Dennis Gassner but they fawn too much and you learn too little.
Shooting Bond (59:24) can be seen in chapters or as a complete documentary and you can watch the film get made from every major aspect save Baird’s editing. The cats contributes to this so it’s fairly comprehensive and entertaining.
Skyfall Premiere (4:28) offers up snippets from the world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall, featuring interviews with Mendes, Craig, Harris, Bardem, and Fiennes. You also get the
Theatrical Trailer, Soundtrack Promotional Spot, and fifteen minutes of trailers for other films.
Everyone has secrets. The thing is, secrets want to be told. The level of intimacy we have with another person is reflected by the number of secrets we share with them.
There are many different levels of secrets. Some would seem mundane – your name, for example. Unless you’re wearing a name tag, a stranger won’t know it. You have to choose to share it and there are occasions when you wouldn’t or would only give your first name or maybe even a name that isn’t your own. In the latest Star Trek film, Uhura doesn’t give James T. Kirk her full name. In the same movie, a young and defiant James Tiberius Kirk gives a police officer (policebot?) his full name. Both are choices that say something of the character.
There are other levels of secrets, some mundane, some deeper. Boy meets girl. Boy wants girl’s phone number (or vice versa). At the moment the question is asked, the answer is a secret. A decision is made to share it or not. I have known many ladies not always eager to share that phone number with me and some with whom I did not want to share mine. Sometimes you can tell crazy pretty quick.
There are deeper levels of secrets. Your address, are you in a relationship, your social security number, your password on different sites. There are secrets you share with your friends but maybe not your family and vice versa. There are secrets you share only with your best friends or with that one special person. There are secrets you share with no one, keeping them to yourself. There are secrets, truths about you, that you keep even from yourself.
In writing, secrets can be powerful tools for creating and understanding a character. There are all kinds of secrets, great and small, that will help you define the character for yourself and your readers.
Secrets can also define the plot. Who does a character choose to tell what secret and when? Most important, was it as good idea? We have all chosen to share something with someone and it turned out to be a bad idea. If that’s true for you, it’s true for your character. Ever hear something that you labeled TMI – Too Much Information? The character being told the secret may have the same reaction. How do you feel when you’ve told a secret and turned out to be TMI for the person hearing it? Awkward? Embarrassed? Or were you oblivious to it?
The reverse can be true as well. Should a secret have been told at a given moment and wasn’t? What effect does that have on the characters and the plot? What opportunities may have been missed? We all know moments like that in our own lives; what is true for us should also be true for our characters.
Why was the secret told or not told? Why was that moment chosen to tell or not tell? What was the character trying to get or achieve by telling it? Why did they not choose to tell a secret at the right moment? Fear? Fear of what? These all define a character.
Was telling the secret to a given person/character a good idea? Again, think of your own life. Did you ever share something with someone and later wished you hadn’t? When reading a story or watching a movie or TV show or a play, did you even hear a character tell a secret to another character and wince, knowing it was a bad idea even if the character didn’t yet know it?
There’s also telling someone else’s secret. Sometimes it’s a betrayal; sometimes it’s necessity. Which is it and, again, why did the character choose to share that secret at that moment and with whom? Why would you?
In writing, in life, secrets tell us a lot about someone. Knowing them is powerful. We never, however, can or should know all the secrets of a person or a character. As writer, I often know more about the character than I share with a reader. There should always be a bit of mystery, a secret not yet shared hiding within us, within the character.
It comes down to trust. You have to trust in order to share. Sometimes that trust is misplaced and sometimes it’s not. All that drives story – our own or in the stories we create.
I proudly say I’m a geek.
