Tagged: Superman

John Ostrander: A Little Less Funny

Ostrander Art 140414I was something of an odd kid growing up so it may have made sense that I liked odd comedians. My memory was that I was the only person in our household who liked Ernie Kovacs; I must have been about 7 or 8 when his TV show was on. I thought he was funny and just so damn strange.

The same must be said as well for Jonathan Winters who died Thursday at the age of 87. A remarkable improviser, he could become anyone or anything. Hand him a prop or a hat and he could do four or five characters one after the other, morphing from one to the next in a heartbeat. Famously, Jack Paar just gave him a stick and Winters turned in character after character , including a terrific imitation of Bing Crosby.

I have a memory of Winters on The Jack Parr Show simply taking it over. Parr couldn’t get him to shut up or get off the stage. Parr was one of many many comedians or entertainers who were huge Winters’ fans. Robin Williams really owes his career to him. He pops in on this interview that 60 Minutes did with Winters and it’s fun not only to see the two riffing together but also for some of the serious insights that Winters gave on comedy and being a comedian.

What may be interesting to ComicMix readers is that he studied cartooning at Dayton Art Institute, meeting Eileen Schauder who would become his wife. Makes sense to me; his act often had him becoming a living cartoon.

He was also upfront about his stays in a private psychiatric hospital for manic depression which was brave and may have cost him. You could dismiss his act as that of someone too wired and a bit crazy instead of as the comedic genius it was.

There’s so many ways you may have encountered Jonathan Winters. He was an actor as well as a comedian. One of my favorite films that he made was The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming playing as police deputy that may have been related to Barney Fife. More manic but not more competent. He was also one of the few things that was watchable in the comedic gang bang, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. He was the white suited garbage man on Heft commercials who had a refined accent and pronounced  garbage as “gahrbaj” – which I still use myself on occasion.

Winters, being a cartoon himself, also voiced cartoons, voicing Grandpa Smurf. Among the others were Tiny Toons Adventures (where he once voiced Superman!) and Fish Police – based on the comic book – doing Mayor Cod.

One of the most surreal (and with Jonathan Winters, that’s saying a lot) series of appearances was on Mork and Mindy where Winters was the son to Robin William’s Mork. As you may recall, Mork was an alien and his race aged backwards. It gave Williams a chance to work with his idol. It must have been easy to script; just point the two of them in a general direction and turn them loose.

One of Winters’ best known characters was Maudie Frickert who looked a bit like Whistler’s Mother and talked like Mae West. Maudie appeared everywhere, on all the variety shows, on the Tonight Show (Johnny Carson’s Aunt Blabby was, shall we say, a “direct descendent” of Maudie), and any place on TV that you can think. She had a career of her own. Maudie was just one of several recurring characters that Winters created.

When Jonathan Winters died this last week, all those characters, all those voices, died with him. They still live on videos and I encourage you to check YouTube and other places on the webby-web for them. He was an original, an antic mind, and with his death the world is a little less funny at a time when we need a few more real laughs.

MONDAY MORNING: Mindy Newell

TUESDAY MORNING: Emily S. Whitten

 

NEW FROM RADIO ARCHIVES

  • News
  • April 12, 2013

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

By Dr. Art Sippo

 
In the backwoods of Northern Michigan, a local bully, Bruno Hen, is found crushed to death in his own home. The doors were locked and he was well armed, but SOMETHING removed the roof of his log cabin and reached in to crush him like a bug. The bullies neighbor hears the commotion and comes to see what happened. He is horrified. Thick timbers had been snapped like matchsticks. All around the site were enormous tracks of some huge unknown creature. What could have done this? The neighbor knows that there is only one man who can solve this mystery: Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze. And so he goes to New York City to enlist Doc’s aid. But then he is gunned down in the hallway outside of Doc’s 86th floor aerie. Doc discovers news clippings on the man’s body describing the horrific scene of death at the cabin and he is drawn into the affair.
Then ads start appearing in Newspapers around the country warning that The Monsters are coming bringing death and destruction! All of these ads had been mailed from the same Michigan town where Bruno Hen was killed.
Doc Savage and his Iron Crew in the company of the beautiful lion tamer Jean Morris travel to rural Michigan and discover a huge walled compound with an electrified net draped over its top. They hear loud noises and suspicious rumblings. What is inside the compound? Who is the mysterious Pere Teston? What are The Monsters? Can even Doc Savage defeat creatures who can tear a building apart with their bare hands?
The Monsters was one of the earliest and most popular Doc Savage adventure. In fact is was so well done that it was the basis for the first story arc in Batman comics. This is one Super Saga you have to read! Double Novel reprint $12.95
 
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I am so happy that this has become available. Nelson Eddy is one of my two favorite baritones, and Dorothy Kirsten is also a favorite. I enjoy her visits to the Railroad Hour with my other favorite baritone.
 
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Mindy Newell: Life…

Newell Art 130408Last week’s column didn’t happen because I received a phone call at about 10 A.M. last Sunday from my mom. My dad was having another “episode,” his third. Meaning his brain was short-circuiting once more. It’s called “complex partial seizure disorder,” for the medically less-literate out there.

No one really knows why this is happening to him; before this started last Christmas Eve, he was in remarkable health for a man of 90. The only drug he took on a regular basis was one of the statins –anti-cholesterol drugs – and that was on a preventative basis. His blood pressure runs about 110/70, his heart rate about 65; his only major medical problem has been the deterioration of his eyesight because of macular degeneration and he was responding remarkably well to the treatment. Yes, he had had prostate cancer, but that was 30 years ago, and when his Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level rose, he started the androgen deprivation therapy and it dropped to 0.003 or something, i.e., normal.

So this week once again my dad lay in a bed in the ICU at Cooper University Hospital – big kudos to the staff there!!! – only this time he was intubated because the ambulance didn’t take my mom with them and I was driving like a bat out of hell down the NJ Turnpike and my brother (an MD at “the Coop”) was vacationing on Puerto Rico so there was no one to tell the trauma team that my dad is DNR and the protocol when a patient comes in having seizures is to intubate to ensure a patent airway.

Yesterday, exactly one week later, Dad woke up again. He was extubated this morning. He’s very weak, but he knew where he was, and he knew all of us. He also ate ice chips, a cup of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, Jello, and a ¾ of a bowl of chicken broth. The plan is to get him out of bed tomorrow. We’re going to take it from there.

So driving home I thought about my dad and this column and I thought about the portrayal of infirmity and illness in the super hero world. I had plenty of time because I again got stuck driving north on the Turnpike between Exit 7 and Exit 8A – a stretch of about 21 miles – in bumper-to-bumper, crawling traffic. It’s a section of the iconic NJ Turnpike that has been undergoing reconstruction for the last three years or so, which makes it prone for Delays Ahead: Be Prepared To Stop alerts, and I swear I think people slam on their brakes just to read the signs. What is it about one fender-bender that causes miles and miles of back-up?

Anyway…

The first picture in my mind was of Silver Age Superman gasping and choking and weakened as the radiation from Kryptonite, usually held or manipulated by Lex Luthor – poisoned him, finally turning him as green as the Wicked Witch of the West, indicating that death was near, just in a few panels. Kryptonite worked fast, unlike what happens to ordinary humans when exposed to radiation. Ordinary humans, exposed to radiation, don’t even feel it at first. The amount of time between exposure and the first signs and symptoms depends on the amount of radiation that has been absorbed. The first thing that usually happens is nausea and vomiting; headache and fever can also occur. After that, an individual with radiation sickness can have a period of remission, in which there is no apparent illness and the individual feels fine. Then the more serious problems start: hair loss, weakness, dizziness, bloody stools and vomit, weight loss, low blood pressure, fucked-up blood counts, cancer….a slow, painful, and debilitating death.

I guess Superman puking and having bloody diarrhea and going bald, getting infections and cancer and dying a slow, painful, and debilitating death wouldn’t have gotten past the Comic Code Authority back in the day.

Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl, shot by the Joker in Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke (1988), was paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair – but through the talents of ComicMix’s own John Ostrander and his late, wonderful wife, Kim Yale, we watched Barbara go forward with her life: although initially (and realistically) portrayed with a reactive depression, Barbara comes to see that her life is not over. Gifted with a genius level IQ, a photographic memory, and possessing expert computer skills (including hacking) along with graduate training in library sciences, Barbara transforms herself in Oracle, an “information broker” to law enforcement agencies and the super-hero community. She also hires Richard Dragon (co-created by ComicMix’s own Denny O’Neil), a martial artist, to teach her combat and self-defense skills.

Gail Simone took the ball that John and Kim handed her and ran with it in Birds Of Prey…until, after DC’s 52 reboot, Oracle never existed and Barbara was mysteriously back on her feet. This – rightfully, im-not-so-ho – pissed off a lot of fans, because Barbara Gordon as Oracle was the preeminent role model for those living with disabilities. However, Gail has done a magnificent job with the post-Oracle Batgirl, allowing the character to go through PTSD secondary to her disability and recovery – although, as we all know, DC seemed to have a problem with that a few months ago. Luckily, DC recovered from that particular illness.

And now Power Girl, a.k.a. Kara Zor-L, a.k.a. Karen Starr, has breast cancer. Although I’m sure the intentions of the creative team are good and positive and totally above-board (and I do hope none of the creative team has had any kind of personal experience with breast cancer), somehow the cynic in me is smirking. Maybe because Power Girl has always been drawn with gi-normous bubble boobs that burst out of her costume like Mt. St. Helens blowing their tops? It’s like Sharon Tate’s character in The Valley Of The Dolls getting breast cancer. (Google or read the book or stream/rent the movie to get the reference.) It’s saying that the one thing that lifts (pun intended) Power Girl out of the crowd of super heroines are her mammary glands, so let’s mess with those.

It would have been more interesting to me if Sue Storm got breast cancer, or Lois Lane (isn’t she dead?), or even Wonder Woman.

Or what if Reed Richards, or Johnny Storm, or Bruce Wayne, or Hal Jordan, got breast cancer? Men get breast cancer, too, you know. More and more frequently, by the way.

I just hope the creative team does it research. And not just solve the problem of “how do we treat a woman who has breast cancer if she’s indestructible?”

That’s just so comic-bookey.

Breast cancer is real. People can end up in the ICU, hoping to get better, fighting to get better.

Just like my dad.

TUESDAY MORNING: Emily S. Whitten

TUESDAY AFTERNOON: Michael Davis

 

Superman Silver Announced

  • News
  • April 1, 2013

Superman SilverIn the run-up to Man of Steel, the most eagerly-anticipated super-hero film of the year, DC Comics just can’t seem to keep its new Superman initiatives secret for very long. ComicMix has learned that, in the wake of unprecedentedly strong orders for the print version of Batman ’66, DC has started work on Superman Silver. Like the Jeff Parker-Jonathan Case series, Superman Silver will exploit Boomer nostalgia for an earlier incarnation of one of its two biggest super stars. Obviously, “going retro” to appeal to an aging readership has paid off big-time for the publisher, since it’s decided to commission this series even before having metrics on Batman ’66.

Work on the new seven-week series, edited by Bobbie Chase and scheduled to begin in June, is only just beginning, but a few details have been leaked to ComicMix. Each issue will recreate the style, look, and tone of a Mort Weisinger-edited “Superman Family” title of the Silver Age, with several issues offering three 8-page stories.

While DC is still finalizing the lineup, we’ve learned that the series will kick off with Superman Silver: Superman, featuring a book- length Imaginary Story, “The Death of Van-Zee and Sylvia” by Howard Mackie and Alex Saviuk. This will be followed by Superman Silver: Action presenting a Superman lead, “When Superman Became Congorilla!” by Ralph Macchio and Terry Dodson, and a Supergirl back-up story, “Jeff Malverne, Super-Horse – Comet’s Rival for Supergirl’s Heart!” by Ann Nocenti and Patrick Olliffe. Week Three brings Superman Silver: Jimmy Olsen, whose cover story, “The Bedbug Boy of Metropolis,” is by Roger Stern and Javier Salteris.

To date, no creative team has yet been assigned to Superman Silver: Adventure, whose book-length story will feature the Bizarro Legion of Super-Heroes. Artists are still being sought for the remaining titles, Superman Silver: Lois Lane, Superman Silver: Superboy, and Superman Silver: World’s Finest, all of which will be written by Tom DeFalco.

Radio Archives newsletter

  • Uncategorized
  • March 29, 2013

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

 
March 29, 2013

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

 

New Will Murray’s Pulp Classics eBooks

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 
Search for RadioArchives.com in iTunes.
 
 
 
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://jdevito.com/print.html

 
 
 
 
 
 

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

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

 

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

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

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

By John Olsen
 

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

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The products you’ve read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you’ll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.
 
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White Collar’s Matt Bomer Will be at WonderCon Today

  • News
  • March 29, 2013

Matt BomerMatt Bomer, star of USA Network’s hit series White Collar, has joined the panel for the World Premiere of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s Superman: Unbound this Friday, March 29 at 6:00 p.m. as part of the WonderCon marquee evening event in the Anaheim Convention Center.

As the voice of Superman, Bomer will headline the post-screening panel discussion alongside Castle star Molly Quinn (the voice of Supergirl), producer/director James Tucker (Justice League), screenwriter Bob Goodman (Warehouse 13, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) and eight-time Emmy Award-winning dialogue director Andrea Romano (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns). Moderator Gary Miereanu will guide the proceedings, offering glimpses into future DC Universe Animated Original Movies, and exclusive prizes for some lucky fans in attendance.

In Superman: Unbound, a destructive force is devastating planets across the galaxy – with Earth next in its sights – and even Superman may not be capable of halting the destruction alone. Based on the Geoff Johns/Gary Frank 2008 DC Comics release “Superman: Brainiac,” the film’s stellar voicecast also includes John Noble (Fringe, The Lord of the Rings films) as Brainiac, and Stana Katic (Castle) as Lois Lane. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Superman: Unbound will be released on Blu-ray, DVD, OnDemand and For Download on May 7, 2013.

Prior to the premiere, the Superman: Unbound panelists Quinn, Tucker, Goodman and Romano will sign WonderCon-exclusive mini-posters from 3:00-4:00 p.m. at the DC Entertainment booth.

Martha Thomases: Not For Kids Anymore

Thomases Art 130329As Blondie says, “Dreaming is free.”

Which is lucky for me, because I have a rather frantic week, and not a lot of original ideas for a column. Sure, I could write about the John Stewart scandal (or non-scandal, depending on which rumor you believe,), but I am late to that party. I could write about some obscure book that deserves more attention, but I am behind in my reading.

My sub-conscious came through for me.

Last night, I had one of my recurring dreams in which I still work for DC. Sometimes in these dreams I no longer work for DC, but sneak into an office and pretend I do. And sometimes, I even wear clothes. I can’t remember which of these scenarios was at play this time, but I remember getting a memo from Jenette Kahn about some new publishing initiative.

In my dream, I ran to my son, the genius writer, about the opportunity this afforded us. We had two ideas worth pursuing.

The first, and more interesting, was a graphic novel about an upper-middle-class teenage white girl in Georgia in the 1980s who is, unbeknownst to her or anyone else, the reincarnation of Mohammed Ali. I don’t think we should let the fact that Ali is still alive get in the way of the fact that this would be awesome.

However, since my subconscious apparently has no literary taste, in my dream I urged we concentrate our attention on an on-going series, The Legion of Jimmy Olsen. It would be like the Legion of Super-Heroes, but set in the present, not the future, and feature all the different characters Jimmy has morphed into over the years. You would have your Turtle Boy, your giant, your caveman Beatle, even your girl.

All at the same time.

I would buy that series in a heartbeat. Wouldn’t you?

The New 52 doesn’t have a lot of Jimmy in it. There isn’t even much Lois Lane. They show up to take pictures or report on some Superman exploit or another, but that’s about it. Grant Morrison had Jimmy doing a bit more, as a friend to Clark.

Even Grant couldn’t work in any Turtle Boy.

As the comics audience has aged, publishers have tried to respond with more mature offerings. They don’t think their readers need a character like Jimmy with whom to identify. Today’s superhero reader, they think, needs stories where the universe is at stake every single issue.

This is a shame, because we could use somewhat less constant cosmic apocalypse, and a bit more whimsy.

And gorillas.

SATURDAY: Marc Alan Fishman

SUNDAY: John Ostrander

 

Dennis O’Neil: Resurrection

O'Neil Art 130328Spring is sprung

The grass is riz

I wonder where the boidies is…

Ah. Spring.

No matter that if you live in the midwest there may be snow on the ground, and if there isn’t, there was recently. It is, dammit, spring! What you gonna believe, Skippy – your eyes or the calendar?

And to herald spring, here comes one of my favorite holidays – Easter. You know the story: humanity’s savior gets crucified, chills in a tomb for three days, comes out and starts a religion. If you’re into comparative mythology. you can find that similar things happened to earlier deities, including Adonis, Osiris, and Mithra. The myths, and their attendant holidays, celebrate something real – the emotions,including hope, that we desperate humans experience when the long gloom of winter goes away and life returns to the Earth. Our ancestors tended to give phenomena they didn’t understand names and identities. Maybe that tendency still exists in their descendants.

Do we feel that you can’t keep a good god down?

Then what about comic book characters? They seem to have difficulty staying dead, too. I have personally participated in the demise of four that I can immediately remember, all of whom popped out of the afterlife in one form or another, and they’re only a few entries in a rather long list that includes some of the biggies: Superman, Captain America, Robin the Boy/Teen Wonder version two. And then there are the lesser but still prominent characters, including Cap America’s young pal Bucky, Elektra, and one of my personal favorite supporting cast members, Batman’s butler Alfred. (Full disclosure: Alfred wasn’t really dead, only, you know, deadish. For two years.)

And why do I feel compelled to include a spear-carrier who died and stayed dead? We’re talking Larry Lance, the detective husband of the original Black Canary. We gave him a one panel funeral in Justice League of America, sent his widow off to another universe and sweet love with Green Arrow, and forgot about him. Maybe I’ve given Larry a paragraph as a service to serious trivia freaks.

But Larry wasn’t even a superheroes and superheroes who die are our subject, so back to them. DC Comics has recently killed two prominent costumed good guys and raised a bit of a stink in the doing. The (late) characters are (were?) yet another incarnation of Batman’s youthful sidekick, Robin, and, evidently, John Stewart, the African American Green Lantern. What’s notable about the Robin is that he is (was) the first of his ilk who was Batman’s biological son. John Stewart? The stakes are a bit higher: he was one of the earliest of comics’ superdoers who wasn’t a white guy and for a time, he was pretty much the only Green Lantern in the DC Universe. I’d say that as fictional beings go, he’ll be missed. (The Robin? No idea.)

But will John (and Robin?) stay deceased? Well, they’re not gods, not exactly (though they are first cousins to the mythological deities). Will they return? History may be nodding its head yes, but I’ll content myself with a shrug.

FRIDAY: Martha Thomases

SATURDAY: Marc Alan Fishman

 

“It’s A Bird… It’s A Plane… It’s Superman!” Ticket Discounts Available

  • News
  • March 20, 2013

Superman_Key_Art

New York City Center has arranged for fans to get a special discount on tickets for It’s A Bird… It’s A Plane… It’s Superman! Seven performances are slated to run from March 20th through March 24th.

$24 – Balcony Sides (reg $30)
$48 – Mezzanine Center/Sides, Balcony Center (reg $60)
$86 – Mezzanine Center/Sides (reg $115)

Visit NYCityCenter.org, call CityTix at212.581.1212, or visit the Box Office at 131 W 55th St, and use code “COMIC”.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkxXt8lR_ug[/youtube]

And check back here soon for our review of the show!

Michael Davis: Captain Action, Part 2

Davis Art 130319Please refer to last week for part one.

When last we met…

Off to Gertz we went! Gertz was the department store back in the day. When we got there my mother walked right to the toy department and brought me Captain Action and the Batman and Superman costume changes.

At that point I had to wonder, who was this woman and what had she done with my mother.

This was entirely way to good to be true.

As I would find out soon it certainly was.

I found out later that, what was a great Saturday turned crappy, why my mother was so quick to buy me Captain Action, which I just knew, was the last thing I would ever want or need.

My stepdad (who at the time I thought was my real dad; long sad story) told my mother earlier in the day he would not be picking me up to spend the night with him. Those times with my father were all I lived for.

If I had to choose between having Christmas every day and spending one day with my dad, Santa would have lost out.

My mom didn’t tell me that on the bus ride back. Nor did she broach the subject when we got home. She missed the opportunity while I was introducing the good Captain to my GI Joes. Introduction may not be the best word for the Joe exchange.

It was more like an eviction.

I evicted a platoon of Joes from a few of my GI Joe footlockers. The good Captain and his costume changes could not be made to spend his down time in a ghetto toy box. The toy box was where the poor toys lived.

The toys box were the projects in the ghetto. The footlockers were the nice homes, you know, the white neighborhood. Hey, I was a child living in a world where all Black people lived in the projects and all white people lived in nice homes in safe neighborhoods. That’s what the TV told me and TV was everything to a child.

Anywho, my mom never did tell me that my father wasn’t coming over – which was most likely her plan. The toys were a distraction. A distraction that was working until my sister asked me if Robert (That’s what we called my father, not dad or daddy. It’s a black thing you wouldn’t understand) brought me the toys.

Just like that I remembered that I was supposed to spend the night with Robert and realized that he had not picked me up yet.

My mother was then forced to tell me that he was not coming and I started crying like baby.

Then something magical happened, my mortal enemy, my sister Sharon picked up my Captain Action and started taking to me about it. After a few minutes I was proudly explaining what my new toy was showing her the costume changes and schooling her on all the reasons Captain Action was just the greatest thing that ever happened to the world. I’m not sure when I stopped crying or when I forgot Robert was not coming over.

Then, I was an adult.

That what happens in life one moment you are a five-year old with the greatest toy you have ever had the next you are a grown man trying to recapture those moments by becoming a collector of the things from your childhood that brought you that wonder. My Captain Action collection features the Ideal Toy Company original. The Prying Mantis 90’s redo and the current Captain Action Enterprise’s new line.

DC Comics did Captain Action comics back in the day and the good Captain has been returned to the industry those books are in stores now and I hear big plans are planed for comics in the future.

Yes, this article and part one is my love letter to an old friend who has always been in my life. It’s sappy, I’m sappy and I know that.

That’s OK.

Sappy is the new black.

WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

 

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