The Complete Casebook of Cardigan, Volume 1: 1931-32 by Frederick Nebel, introduction by Will Murray, illustrations by John Fleming Gould, cover by Walter Baumhofer
The greatest series from the pages of Dime Detective Magazine is finally collected in four large editions. Running from 1931-37, Frederick Nebel’s P.I. Jack Cardigan was one of the main reasons for that magazine’s success as well as highly influential to the most popular hard-boiled writers of the day. Sadly, only a handful of the 44-installment series have ever been reprinted since their original appearances 80 years ago. This reprint series will reprint the entire run. Volume 1 contains an all-new introduction by Will Murray and features the first 11 stories, complete, uncut, and with the original John Fleming Gould illustrations: “Death Alley (November, 1931),” “Hell’s Pay Check (December, 1931),” “Six Diamonds and a Dick (January, 1932),” “And There Was Murder (February, 1932),” “Phantom Fingers (March, 1932),” “Murder on the Loose (April, 1932),” “Rogues’ Ransom (August, 1932),” “Lead Pearls (September, 1932,” “The Dead Don’t Die (October, 1932),” and “The Candy Killer (November, 1932),” “A Truck-Load of Diamonds (December, 1932).”
In November 1993, the last of Will Murray’s new Doc Savage novels, THE FORGOTTEN REALM, was published. I wrote in a review a dozen years later, “It has been twelve years since THE FORGOTTEN REALM was published. Right now, it looks like we will not see a new Doc Savage novel on the stands ever again. But…. that’s what we thought in 1949, too.”
And against the odds (as we might expect from him) the Man of Bronze has returned yet again. Will Murray has begun a new “new” series of Doc adventures and I’m signing up for the ride. I had to order a copy from Altus Press: Barnes & Noble were no help and I’m not much for using Amazon or eBay. (And frankly, $24 is a bit of a gouge for a trade paperback this size but of course I’ve paid more than that for an old pulp or out-of-print books, it’s my choice).
THE DESERT DEMONS is just fine. It’s not as good as the very best of the original pulp stories like METEOR MENACE or THE SARGASSO OGRE, but then neither were most the pulps. There were many original Docs that ranged from passable down to atrocious, and DEMONS is a lot more fun than most of the wartime issues. The book is based on an unused outline Lester Dent left behind. I appreciate the respect Will Murray shows for Dent and understand why he incorporates as much Dent material as he can. But I would be perfectly willing to read a new book that is all Murray, I have trust in his integrity and his own storytelling.
Okay, it’s 1936 again and yet another mysterious menace has surfaced for our hero to investigate. Out in Hollywood, a phenomenon called the Copper Clouds has been killing people. They’re a sort of red cyclonic masses that swoop down from the sky as if targetting individuals, then turn black and evaporate, leaving only white ash, bleached brittle houses or cars and an occasional piece of glass. This is exactly the sort of threat Clark Savage Sr raised his little boy to handle. All five of the aides are on hand, plus Patricia and even Chemistry and Habeas Corpus, and there are enough “hair-raising thrills, breath-taking escapes and blood-curdling excitement” (as the old Bantam paperbacks promised) to more than satisfy. The gadgets are fired off with abandon, science detection is used and there’s even a dirigible. It’s Thirties to the core. References to the then-new phenomenon “smog” and the then-recent Florida land-bust add to the atmosphere.
Of COURSE I have a few complaints. It’s inevitable, there are always a few flaws in any piece of work. Coming in at 239 pages, this is more accessible than the unweildy 300-pagers like THE FORGOTTEN REALM or THE WHISTLING WRAITH. I like my pulp novels around 120 to 150 pages, enough to finish off on a snowy Sunday afternoon without real breaks. They seem to work best when you plow through them at a good clip like riding a roller coaster. Even so, while THE DESERT DEMONS is well paced and doesn’t drag, it can’t be as crisp and headlong as the original pulps. With the extra space available, I hoped to see Renny or Long Tom get a few chapters to themselves with room for them to shine but instead we got more incidents and incidental characters. The other place where I think THE DESERT DEMONS misstepped is that nearly all the story takes place in Hollywood and at the very end we go to Florida for the wrap-up. My preference is for the classic two-part structure with mystery and intrigue in New York, then a trip to Tibet or Brazil or Samoa for a blast of all-out action. So I’d like to see that structure return, but it’s not mandatory for every adventure.
And the menace turns out to be more outright science fictional than usual. I’m good with this. The original series, after all, featured everything from genuine invisibility to fifteen-foot tall Monster Men to the Blue Meteor and earthquake-making machines. The wilder more implausible stuff was usually explained away as hoaxes and misinterpretations (“so the giant spider was a marionette?” “Fraid so,”) but Doc Savage was always borderline science fiction. I think I would draw the line at time travel as going too far, but I’d be fine with seeing Doc tackle things like someone rediscovering Dr Jekyll’s serum. Nothing of the outright supernatural, though… I think Doc Savage’s world just wouldn’t have real werewolves or vampires.
I have come to count on Will Murray to throw in many delightful bits almost as asides. Ham Brooks shows some actual legal knowledge for once. (He says,”In the absence of a corpse, California law allows a grace period of a year before someone may be declared dead.”)Doc can look at a revolver held on him and see that it’s loaded with blanks. Long Tom finally gets useful application for his electronic bug-repelling machine he always seemed to be getting nowhere with. When Doc grapples with someone, the person’s actions seem to be in slow-motion because the bronze man is moving so quickly. (This has the ring of classic Lester Dent to it!)
That’s it, I’m convinced. It would take an awful lot to keep me from getting the next book in the series. I’m so glad how things have turned out for Doc Savage fans. The pulp ended in 1949, which was then thought to be the last the characters would ever be seen. Then in 1964, Bantam started a few reprint paperbacks and the usual event would be to see a handful appear but no… eventually all 181 of the original novels were available, as well as a previously unpublished story. Ah well, that was good but it had to be the end. No. Then Philip Jose Farmer wrote ESCAPE FROM LOKI and starting in 1991, Will Murray turned out seven new books. In 1993, putting down THE FORBIDDEN REALM, I hoped that I would live long enough to see a few more authorized Doc Savage adventures come to be, and here we are.
It’s the Radio Archives Newsletter! * New Doc Savage Audiobook: “White Eyes” * New in Pulp Fiction: The Spider Volume 20, Doc Savage Volume 49, and The Shadow Volume 51 * New in Digital Downloads * Deal of the Day * The Critics Love “Python Isle” * New in Classic Radio: Claudia, Volume 5 New Doc Savage Audiobook: “White Eyes” The place: New York City. During the depths of the Great Depression, in the shadow of streamlined skyscrapers, reporters scramble for clues about an insidious wave of bizarre deaths – everyday citizens struck dead, the eyes in their lifeless bodies turned a sightless and ghastly white. The Blind Death has the teeming city paralyzed with fear; in desperation, civic leaders turn to the one man who can discover who or what is behind this gruesome series of murders: Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze.
From his offices high above the city, Doc and his band of trusted colleagues soon uncover a terrifying scheme to gather together all of the city’s criminal elements as a single and seemingly undefeatable force. Their intent: to seize the wealth of the Man of Bronze and destroy him once and for all!
“White Eyes”, the second in a new line of audiobook adventures from RadioArchives.com, is an epic tale of crime from the pen of Will Murray, heir apparent to Lester Dent, creator of Doc Savage. Featuring dramatic narration by Richard Epcar, “White Eyes” is a roller coaster ride of action and excitement that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Produced and directed by Roger Rittner, who joined with Will Murray to bring you both “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series and the thrilling audiobook “Python Isle”, “White Eyes” brings you ten hours of engrossing entertainment. Now available as both a ten audio compact disc collection priced at Just $31.98 and a ten hour digital download priced at Just $21.98, this new release from RadioArchives.com also features evocative cover art by Joe DeVito and two fascinating and exclusive audio interviews with the author.
Join the Man of Bronze for a suspenseful tale of action and adventure in “White Eyes”, the new Doc Savage audiobook now available from RadioArchives.com!
New in Pulp Fiction: The Spider Volume 20, Doc Savage Volume 49 and The Shadow Volume 51If you’re a fan of pulp fiction, you know that, in the 1930s and 1940s, there were three heroes who dominated the newsstands of America: the mysterious enemy of the underworld known as The Shadow, the tall and muscular Doc Savage, and a troubled and vengeful vigilante known as The Spider. Here at RadioArchives.com, we’re delighted to carry a full line of double novel reprints featuring all three of these iconic supermen – including three new books that have just been released:
“The Spider Volume 20” features two thrill-packed adventures written by Norvell Page and Wayne Rogers under the pseudonym of Grant Stockbridge. First, in “The Devil’s Candlesticks”, a mystic murder spell falls over Manhattan, transforming America’s moneyed aristocracy into ruthless fiends and criminals. Only The Spider can battle a horror league that has turned America’s most wealthy citizens into lawless butchers! Then, in “Revolt of the Underworld”, America’s most ruthless criminals declare war on the Spider. Organized by the Fox, this tireless and devious band have succeeded in framing Richard Wentworth for the apparent murder of his fiancé Nita Van Sloan. Can the Spider successfully clear his name while also searching for the whereabouts of his beloved fiancée?
Then, in “Doc Savage Volume 49”, you’ll thrill as the Man of Bronze and his daredevil cousin Patricia Savage battle deadly menaces in two classic pulp novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson: “The Terror in the Navy” and “Waves of Death”.
Finally, in “The Shadow Volume 51”, the Knight of Darkness battles strange supercrime in two thrillers by Walter Gibson: “The Living Joss” and “Judge Lawless”.
These beautifully formatted issues, priced at Just $14.95 each, feature classic cover art, interior illustrations, full-length stories reformatted for relaxed reading, and many special features to add to your enjoyment. Radio Archives carries the latest issues of these exciting publications, plus all of the back issues as well, ensuring you hours of edge-of-your-seat entertainment. Be sure to stop by RadioArchives.com and pick up your copies of these new releases right away! New in Digital Downloads For years, entertainment on the go meant a transistor radio or a portable 8-track or cassette player. But nowadays, thanks to the new digital technologies, you can travel the world and take a world of entertainment with you to enjoy along the way!
Whether you enjoy your entertainment on your laptop, your cell phone, or one of the many small portable devices now available, when you’re on the go, be sure to take the great sounding radio shows and audiobooks from Radio Archives right along with you. All of our digital downloads offer the same impressive audio fidelity as our compact disc collections and are available to you around the world around the clock at RadioArchives.com. And, best of all, with digital downloads, you’ll pay no postage or delivery charges!
This week, we’re excited to feature our new line of audiobooks for digital download – including the Doc Savage adventures “Python Isle” and “White Eyes”. “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series is downloadable, too, as well as radio classics like the long-lost daytime serial “Claudia”, the mystery whodunits of “Philo Vance”, the bizarre tales of “The Unexpected”, and the hilarious misadventures of “Fibber McGee and Molly”. Whether you’re a fan of drama, westerns, comedy, detectives, or musical variety, you’ll find it on the Digital Downloads page at RadioArchives.com. Place your order, download your shows and, within minutes, you’ll be enjoying some delightful audio entertainment.
Digital downloads from Radio Archive give you the best of everything: great shows, great selection, great sound quality, and all at great prices, too! Stop by RadioArchives.com today and see what’s waiting for you!Deal of the DayLooking for a great deal in entertainment? Then you can’t go wrong with the Deal of the Day, a new feature now available at RadioArchives.com!
When you visit our home page, look for the bright yellow Deal of the Day tag on the top right hand side. Click on it and you’ll see today’s special deal. Sometimes a pulp reprint, other times a book, a DVD, or a compact disc collection, these limited time bargains are available at a fraction of their regular price – and there’s no minimum purchase required! Whether you want just that day’s special deal or whether you add it to the rest of your order with RadioArchives.com, the price you see is the price you’ll pay – and that price will reflect a discount of 10, 20, or even 50 percent off the retail price!
But remember: the Deal of the Day may change at any time! If you like what you see, order it right away; wait and it may be gone!
Visit RadioArchives.com often and check out the Deal of the Day. It’s a great way to stretch your budget, add to your personal library, and enjoy some timeless entertainment! The Critics Love “Python Isle”For well over a decade, Radio Archives has maintained only the highest standards of quality, making our reputation by offering the very best audio fidelity, packaging, and customer service. So, when we decided to begin producing our own line of audiobooks, we wanted to make sure that they were the very best you could get anywhere at any price – and, thanks to the impressive talents of producer/director Roger Rittner and the skills of our world-class narrator Michael McConnohie, “Python Isle” had not only met but exceeded our standards and expectations.
But don’t take our word for it! Here are some reviews that have recently appeared:
In “Mass Movement Magazine”, Tim Cundle writes: “It’s an incredible tale of an ancient tribe of Solomon, a queen and a sorcerer locked in political struggle, pirates, New York gangsters, undiscovered islands, lost explorers, hijacked zeppelins and much, much, much more. Michael McConnohie’s narration is nothing short of breath taking, capturing Dent and Murray’s frantic pacing perfectly whilst bringing each and every character to glorious life. ‘Python Isle’ is an astonishing accomplishment that I can’t recommend highly enough. Brilliant. Just…Brilliant.”
In “Comics Bulletin”, Penny Kenny writes: “The skillful use of language and vocabulary is one of the delights of the story, and narrator Michael McConnohie’s smooth, rich voice is more than up to the task of bringing it to life for the listener. Without overdoing it, McConnohie brings out the humor in lines that could easily be glided over, and he creates tension simply by the way he reads a passage. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to read a Doc Savage book again without hearing McConnohie’s interpretation in my head. If you’re looking for a fun action-adventure story, or if you want to try some of the original pulp fiction, you need to give the ‘Python Isle’ audiobook a try.”
“Python Isle”, written by Will Murray and directed and produced by Roger Rittner, is available as an eight audio compact disc collection priced at Just $25.98 and as an eight hour digital download priced at just $17.98. Join the thousands of excited listeners who are now thrilling to the audio exploits of the Man of Bronze. Visit RadioArchives.com and order your copy of “Python Isle” and our latest audiobook “White Eyes” right away ! New in Classic Radio: Claudia, Volume 5If you were a stay-at-home housewife in the 1930s and 1940s, you were most likely a fan of the soap operas. Ever-present on radio, and later on television, these daytime dramas of romance, heartbreak, mother love, sacrifice, and somewhat overdramatized family life became a staple in the lives of millions of avid listeners – many of whom planned their daytime chores around the five-times-a-week adventures of “Our Gal Sunday”, “Ma Perkins”, “Stella Dallas”, and the other dramas that dominated the airwaves between 10 AM and 5 PM.
But, in 1947, a new soap opera debuted that was far more quiet and gentle and down-to-earth than its strife-ridden neighbors on the radio dial. “Claudia”, based on the best-selling novel and play by author Rose Franken, told the tale of Claudia and David Naughton, two newlyweds just beginning their married life. Young, enthusiastic, and very much in love, they weren’t suffering from any of the crises or tragedies that were the common plot points of most daytime dramas. Instead, they were two people simply facing the many challenges of marriage and learning to live together as husband and wife. Thanks to insightful scripting, as well as charming performances by Kathryn Bard and Paul Crabtree in the leading roles, “Claudia” remains one of the unsung classics of radio’s golden age – as well as one of the most entertaining soap operas ever aired.
In “Claudia, Volume 5”, you’ll enjoy 24 more consecutive broadcasts that were first heard in April and May of 1948. Priced at Just $17.98 for the six audio CD set and Just $11.98 for the six hour digital download, this charming series is one you’ll want to share at home with your family – or keep it in the car and play one episode a day as you drive to or from work. Either way, we know you’ll be delighted by the endearing adventures of “Claudia”, now available from RadioArchives.com!
Listen to this Newsletter!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest products, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
The Latest News from RadioArchives.com! * New in Classic Radio: Claudia, Volume 5 * New in Digital Downloads * New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 49 and The Shadow Volume 51 * Rave Reviews for “Python Isle” and “The Adventures of Doc Savage” * Coming Soon: The Exciting Audio Adventure “White Eyes” New in Classic Radio: Claudia, Volume 5If you were a stay-at-home housewife in the 1930s and 1940s, you were most likely a fan of the soap operas. Ever-present on radio, and later on television, these daytime dramas of romance, heartbreak, mother love, sacrifice, and somewhat overdramatized family life became a staple in the lives of millions of avid listeners – many of whom planned their daytime chores around the five-times-a-week adventures of “Our Gal Sunday”, “Ma Perkins”, “Stella Dallas”, and the other dramas that dominated the airwaves between 10 AM and 5 PM.
But, in 1947, a new soap opera debuted that was far more quiet and gentle and down-to-earth than its strife-ridden neighbors on the radio dial. “Claudia”, based on the best-selling novel and play by author Rose Franken, told the tale of Claudia and David Naughton, two newlyweds just beginning their married life. Young, enthusiastic, and very much in love, they weren’t suffering from any of the crises or tragedies that were the common plot points of most daytime dramas. Instead, they were two people simply facing the many challenges of marriage and learning to live together as husband and wife. Thanks to insightful scripting, as well as charming performances by Kathryn Bard and Paul Crabtree in the leading roles, “Claudia” remains one of the unsung classics of radio’s golden age – as well as one of the most entertaining soap operas ever aired.
One of the sad things about radio show preservation is the fact that so many long-running series exist today only in fragments – a broadcast here and a broadcast there, rather than long continuous runs of a particular program. Happily, that’s not the case with “Claudia”; RadioArchives.com has been able to locate and preserve the entire eighteen-month run of the series – 390 episodes in all – allowing you to enjoy the complete series just as it was originally aired.
In “Claudia, Volume 5”, you’ll enjoy 24 more consecutive broadcasts that were first heard in April and May of 1948. Priced at Just $17.98 for the six audio CD set and Just $11.98 for the six hour digital download, this charming series is one you’ll want to share at home with your family – or keep it in the car and play one episode a day as you drive to or from work. Either way, we know you’ll be delighted by the endearing adventures of “Claudia”, now available from RadioArchives.com!
New in Digital DownloadsFor well over a decade, RadioArchives.com has been known for the amazing audio quality of our classic radio compact disc collections – and it’s no wonder. We insist upon finding the absolute best quality masters, and then carefully restoring them so that they retain all of the audio luster of the original recordings with none of the crackle, pops, hiss, or muffling so often heard in radio shows from other sources.
So, when we decided to start offering digital downloads of these same collections, we knew that you’d accept nothing but the absolute best quality. That’s why every classic radio collection you download from RadioArchives.com comes to you as a zip file containing each individual show encoded as a mono 128 kpbs MP3 file with a sampling rate of 44,100.
If you often enjoy audio entertainment on your computer, your cell phone, or a portable device, you’ll be glad to hear that we’re continuing to add selections to the Digital Downloads page at RadioArchives.com. The latest additions include such long-time customer favorites as “Amos ‘n’ Andy”, the star-studded variety series “The Big Show”, the understated police dramas of “Dragnet”, and the hilarious comedy series “Father Knows Best”.
Digital downloads from RadioArchives.com give you the best of everything. Top quality shows in sparkling audio fidelity, available to you for instant delivery around the clock – and, with digital downloads, you’ll pay no postage or delivery charges! No matter what continent or time zone you may live in, just place your order and, within minutes, you’ll be enjoying some great entertainment.
Stop by RadioArchives.com often and see what’s new in our digital downloads section. Great shows, great sound, and at great prices, too! New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 49 and The Shadow Volume 51Anyone living in the world today knows that true heroes are very hard to come by. But, in the pulp fiction world of the 1930s and 1940s, heroes were always on watch to fight the criminals and evildoers that threatened our way of life. You’ll find proof of this in the two new double-novel pulp reprints now available from RadioArchives.com, featuring the top heroes from this Golden Age of literary entertainment:
First, in “Doc Savage Volume 49”, you’ll thrill as the Man of Bronze and his daredevil cousin Patricia Savage battle deadly menaces in two classic pulp novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, a fatal force is destroying America’s Naval fleet. Can Doc Savage end “The Terror in the Navy” before a weakened America falls victim to a foreign power? This novel has been restored with the addition of 3,500 never-before-published words from the author’s original manuscript. Then, Doc and Pat Savage investigate the mystery of bizarre fifteen-foot “Waves of Death” on Lake Michigan. This classic pulp reprint features the original color pulp covers by Robert G. Harris and Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations, and historical commentary by Will Murray.
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? In “The Shadow Volume 51”, the Knight of Darkness battles strange supercrime in two pulp thrillers by Walter Gibson that foreshadowed classic Batman stories. First, The Shadow goes undercover in Chinatown to battle a legendary oriental demi-god in “The Living Joss”. Then, what can prevent “Judge Lawless” from making a mockery of the law? Only The Shadow knows! BONUS: “Djaruti, Goddess of Death”, a lost Orson Welles thriller from the Golden Age of Radio! This instant collectors’ item features both classic cover paintings by George Rozen, the original interior pulp illustrations by Tom Lovell and Paul Orban, and historical commentary by Anthony Tollin.
Also available: “The Spider Volume 19”, featuring two stories of pulp fiction’s Master of Men: “Slaves of the Dragon” and “The Spider and his Hobo Army”.
Escape the worries and troubles of today with the exciting adventures featured in these pulp fiction classics. Each beautifully formatted issue features impressive cover art, full-length stories reformatted for relaxed reading, and many special features to add to your enjoyment. Each of these issues is priced at Just $14.95 – a true bargain for such engrossing entertainment. Make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in pulp fiction classics! Rave Reviews for “Python Isle” and “The Adventures of Doc Savage”“Python Isle”, the new Doc Savage audiobook from RadioArchives.com, has been generating a lot of buzz lately, with an impressive number of excited reviewers weighing in with their opinions. They’ve got us blushing…but that’s not going to stop us from sharing their thoughts with you!
On the Retroist website, Vic Sage writes: “I began listening to Python Isle at my computer. It just didn’t feel right so I popped out the CD and placed it in my Emerson “old time radio” replica, laid back on the floor, and thrilled to the exploits of Doc Savage and his compatriots! I’m hard pressed to think of a better way to spend an evening as the sun starts to set, the room illuminated by the soft yellow glow of the radio dial as Michael McConnohie’s soothing voice reads Will Murray’s prose, both mingling flawlessly together to transport me to a pulp world that I sometimes wish I could do more than just visit. This is what all radio plays and audiobooks should strive to sound like!”
Meanwhile, at Audiobook Heaven, critic Steven Brandt writes: “Radio Archives has taken the well-traveled hero, and brought him to life in this amazingly high-quality production. Michael McConnohie lends his voice talent to this adventure. His narration comes through the center channel as usual, but his character voices come from the left or right, putting the listener right in the middle of the action. I’ve heard this production method once before, and I like it a lot. McConnohie’s melodramatic voices are perfect for this recording as well, giving it kind of an old-time radio feel. Doc Savage is one more pulp fiction hero revived with modern technology. I’m liking this trend in audiobooks, and I hope Radio Archives will bring us many more Doc Savage stories.”
But it isn’t just “Python Isle” that’s drawing rave reviews. At Mystery Scene Magazine, Dick Lochte has written a review of “The Adventures of Doc Savage”: “About 25 years ago, two tales featuring pulp-master Lester Dent’s 1930s adventure hero Doc Savage were adapted by producer Roger Rittner and author Will Murray for a rip-snorting 13-part series that aired on National Public Radio. The result, commercially unavailable until now, is an entertaining replication of radio’s golden age, when a muscled renaissance Man of Bronze and his gifted but eccentric crew could do battle with seemingly unconquerable foes, wind up in trouble at the end of each episode and just as easily escape in the next. In the seven-part adaptation of the 1934 adventure “Fear Cay” Doc and his gang fly to a dangerous Caribbean Isle where they fight a wily old bird who claims to be the 130-year-old discoverer of the Fountain of Youth. The other story, presented in six chapters, finds our heroes in Indo-China battling baddies and deadly serpents in the city of “The Thousand-Headed Man”. The stories and the performances by Daniel Chodos as Doc and the other cast members are properly a bit over the top. It’s good clean fun.”
“Python Isle”, written by Will Murray and directed and produced by Roger Rittner, is now available from RadioArchives.com as an 8 audio CD set priced at Just $25.98 and as an 8-hour digital download priced at Just $17.98. “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, featuring all thirteen episodes of the original series plus many special features, is available as an 8 audio CD set for Just $24.98 and as an 8-hour digital download priced at Just $17.98. Join the thousands of excited listeners who are thrilling to the audio exploits of the Man of Bronze. Order your copies of these two exciting sets right away! Coming Soon: The Exciting Audio Adventure “White Eyes” The place: New York City. During the depths of the Great Depression, in the shadow of streamlined skyscrapers, reporters scramble for clues about an insidious wave of bizarre deaths – everyday citizens struck dead, the eyes in their lifeless bodies turned a sightless and ghastly white. The Blind Death has the teeming city paralyzed with fear; in desperation, civic leaders turn to the one man who can discover who or what is behind this gruesome series of murders: Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze.
From his offices high above the city, Doc and his band of trusted colleagues soon uncover a terrifying scheme to gather together all of the city’s criminal elements as a single and seemingly undefeatable force. Their intent: to seize the wealth of the Man of Bronze and destroy him once and for all!
“White Eyes”, the second in a new line of audiobook adventures from RadioArchives.com, is an epic tale of crime from the pen of Will Murray, heir apparent to Lester Dent, creator of Doc Savage. Featuring dramatic narration by Richard Epcar, “White Eyes” is a roller coaster ride of action and excitement that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Produced and directed by Roger Rittner, who joined with Will Murray to bring you both “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series and the thrilling audiobook “Python Isle”, “White Eyes” will bring you ten hours of engrossing entertainment. Soon to be available as both a ten audio compact disc collection and a ten hour digital download, this new release from RadioArchives.com will also feature evocative cover art by Joe DeVito and two fascinating and exclusive audio interviews with the author.
Join the Man of Bronze for a suspenseful tale of action and adventure in “White Eyes”, the new Doc Savage audiobook coming soon from RadioArchives.com!
Listen to this Newsletter!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest products, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
The releases we’ve described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s pulp fiction classics, our new line of audiobooks, colorful and exciting items from Moonstone, timeless movies and television shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections and digital downloads containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you’ll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in timeless entertainment.
Python Isle Written by Will Murray, Based on a concept by Lester Dent Unabridged Audiobook Radio Archives ISBN 978-1610814010
Radio Archives has just released an audio version of Will Murray’s classic Doc Savage novel and it’s the same level of high quality that listeners have learned to associate with the company. Production values are top notch and the narrator (Michael McConnohie) does a fine job with story, capturing the essence of each character. The story itself leads Doc and his crew to the titled island, where a mystery that dates back to the Bible awaits. It’s a fine addition to the Doc Savage mythos and “feels” right. The concept was from Lester Dent but Murray does an admirable job remaining true to the overall style while also inserting a few of his own ideas and stylistic choices. I read this novel in book form upon its release but had never gone back to it since: I was pleasantly surprised how much I remembered as the narration carried me through.
The Latest News from RadioArchives.com! * New Digital Downloads Now Available * New Podcast Features the Creators of “Python Isle”* Coming Soon: Doc Savage in “White Eyes” * Spotlight on The Spider New Digital Downloads Now Available
For well over a decade, RadioArchives.com has been known for the amazing audio quality of our classic radio compact disc collections – and it’s no wonder. We insist upon finding the absolute best quality masters, then carefully restoring them so that they retain all of the audio luster of the original recordings with none of the crackle, pops, hiss, or muffling so often heard in radio shows from other sources.
So, when we decided to start offering digital downloads of these same collections, we knew that you’d accept nothing but the absolute best quality. That’s why every classic radio co llection you download from RadioArchives.com comes to you as a zip file containing each individual show, encoded as a mono 128 kpbs MP3 file with a sampling rate of 44,100.
If you often enjoy audio entertainment on your computer, your cell phone, or a portable device, you’ll be glad to hear that we’ve just added another sizable batch of selections to the digital downloads” page at RadioArchives.com. Included are such long-time customer favorites as the classic police drama “Calling All Cars”, the western adventure series “The Cisco Kid”, the high-flying adventures of America’s favorite free-lance insurance investigator “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar”, and many, many more!
Digital downloads from RadioArchives.com give you the best of everything. Top quality shows in sparkling audio fidelity, available to you for instant delivery around the clock – and, with digital downloads, you’ll pay no postage or delivery charges! Whether you live in Beijing, Basingstoke, or Bakersfield, just place your order and, within minutes, you’ll be enjoying some great entertainment.
Stop by RadioArchives.com often and see what’s new in our digital downloads section. Great shows, great sound, and great prices, too!
New Podcast Features the Creators of “Python Isle” About a month ago, RadioArchives.com released “Python Isle”, the Doc Savage adventure that is the first in our new line of enhanced audiobooks. Your response to the set has been tremendous, with “Python Isle” quickly climbing to the top of the best-seller list on the Radio Archives website.
But the excitement about this engrossing and dramatic production has spread far beyond the customers of RadioArchives.com. Just this week, in fact, the creators of “Python Isle” were the guests of “Pulped!”, the new podcast hosted by Tommy Hancock and Derrick Ferguson. It was delightful fun to spend an hour with these two knowledgeable gentlemen discussing Doc Savage, audio production, and the details of how “Python Isle” came to be.
This new episode of “Pulped” can be heard in its entirety on our website at RadioArchives.com. Visit the Audiobook section and give it a listen! And if you haven’t yet purchased your copy of “Python Isle”, there’s still plenty of time to add it to your list of “gotta hear it” summer listening! Priced at just $25.98 for the 8 audio CD set or $17.98 for the digital download, this thrilling story of action and suspense is one that you’ll want to share with your whole family – and it’s only available from RadioArchives.com!
Coming Soon: Doc Savage in “White Eyes”
The place: New York City. During the depths of the Great Depression, in the shadow of streamlined skyscrapers, reporters scramble for clues about an insidious wave of bizarre deaths – everyday citizens struck dead, the eyes in their lifeless bodies turned a sightless and ghastly white. The Blind Death has the teeming city paralyzed with fear; in desperation, civic leaders turn to the one man who can discover who or what is behind this gruesome series of murders: Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze.
From his offices high above the city, Doc and his band of trusted colleagues soon uncover a terrifying scheme to gather together all of the city’s criminal elements as a single and seemingly undefeatable force. Their intent: to seize the wealth of the Man of Bronze and destroy him once and for all!
“White Eyes”, the second in a new line of audiobook adventures from RadioArchives.com, is an epic tale of crime from the pen of Will Murray, heir apparent to Lester Dent, creator of Doc Savage. Featuring dramatic narration by Richard Epcar, “White Eyes” is a roller coaster ride of action and excitement that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Produced and directed by Roger Rittner, who joined with Will Murray to bring you both “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series and the thrilling audiobook “Python Isle”, “White Eyes” will bring you ten hours of engrossing entertainment. Soon to be available as both a ten audio compact disc collection and a ten hour digital download, this new release from RadioArchives.com will also feature evocative cover art by Joe DeVito and two fascinating and exclusive audio interviews with the author.
Join the Man of Bronze for a suspenseful tale of action and adventure in “White Eyes”, the new Doc Savage audiobook coming soon from RadioArchives.com!
Spotlight on The Spider
His name is Richard Wentworth III. Man-about-town, dilettante of the arts, and engaged to the beautiful Nita Van Sloan, it would seem at first glance that he is nothing more than another non-productive member of the upper crust – a wealthy young man preoccupied with casual and frivolous pursuits. But, in reality, Richard Wentworth is completely devoted to the pursuit of justice for the downtrodden, no matter what the cost to himself or to his loved ones. Secretly donning a tattered black hat and cape, a wig of stringy hair, sinister face makeup, and strapping on a pair of .45 automatics, Wentworth prowls the streets of New York as The Spider, chasing down criminal masterminds bent on enslaving or destroying humanity.
The pulp magazines of the 1930s and 1940s produced a number of memorable heroes, but none were as action-packed or violent as The Spider. For neatly a decade, he was the self-proclaimed scourge of the Underworld, doling out his own particular brand of justice and imprinting his dreaded red Spider seal on the foreheads of those he killed for the good of mankind. Unlike Doc Savage, who radiated health and well being, or The Shadow, who worked covertly with the police to solve crimes, The Spider was an obsessed loner, imbued with the spirit and the lawlessness of a vigilante. Offering a less optimistic and more defiant take on the challenges of the Great Depression, the villains in the novels of The Spider were equally obsessive, committing acts of destruction on a massive scale. Essentially terrorists, they thought nothing of sinking huge ocean liners, toppling skyscrapers, and wiping out entire towns with germ warfare – and their motivation for such acts was often nothing more than sheer evil for its own sake.
The stories of The Spider plunge you headfirst aboard an emotional roller coaster, with scarcely a moment’s pause for respite. Oriental death traps, treacherous and alluring women, and rabid, machine-gun toting gangsters are all part of a typical day for this beleaguered hero. And, to make things worse, Wentworth is frequently suspected of being the dreaded Spider, his home is periodically destroyed, and his servants and friends – particularly the long-suffering Nita Van Sloan – kidnapped, tied-up, and threatened with horrible torturous deaths.
If you’re only familiar with Doc Savage or The Shadow, The Spider offers a fascinating and, even today, often shocking alternative for those who are fascinated by the pleasures of pulp fiction. RadioArchives.com is excited to offer an ongoing series of double-novel reprints featuring the timeless tales of The Spider, complete with the original full-color covers and reformatted for easy reading. And, coming soon, new Spider audiobooks, too! Make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in classic pulp fiction entertainment!
Listen to this Newsletter!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest products, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
Legendary Superhero Doc Savage Returns in Second Audiobook Adventure
The greatest pulp fiction character of the 20th Century is featured in a brand new audio release from RadioArchives.com!
He was a role model during the Great Depression and World War II and a pop icon for the millions who thrilled to his paperback exploits from the 1960s thru the 1980s. Now Doc Savage, the legendary Man of Bronze, comes to vivid life in “White Eyes”, the new and soon to be released audiobook adventure from RadioArchives.com.
In “White Eyes”, a new supercriminal emerges from the underworld. Dressed all in white, his face masked, eyes blank as a blind man’s, he calls himself White Eyes. Who is he? What are his goals? All of Manhattan reels under the onslaught of the Blind Death, a scourge so terrible that innocent people are struck dead, their eyes turning white as hardboiled eggs. From his skyscraper headquarters high above the streets of New York City to the sugarcane fields of Cuba, Doc Savage races to crush gangland’s latest uncrowned king!
Written by Will Murray and produced and directed by Roger Rittner – the same team that created “Python Isle” and “The Adventures of Doc Savage” audio collections also available from RadioArchives.com, “White Eyes” features dramatic narration by Richard Epcar, cover art by Joe DeVito, and two exclusive audio interviews with Will Murray on the continuing history of Doc Savage and the original Lester Dent manuscript that led to the writing of this exciting edge-of-your-seat adventure.
Scheduled for release on July 29, 2011, “White Eyes” will be available as a 10-CD set priced at $31.98 and as a 10-hour digital download priced at $21.98. This Doc Savage thriller is the second in a new line of pulp fiction audiobooks from RadioArchives.com; upcoming releases will feature the classic adventures of The Spider, Secret Agent “X”, and more of Will Murray’s exciting Doc Savage adventures.
RadioArchives.com is one of the largest creators and distributors of old time radio and pulp fiction entertainment in the United States. Specializing in fully restored radio programs, remastered from original recordings, they are known for their outstanding audio fidelity, impressive packaging, and commitment to top quality customer service.
Will Murray (author) is the literary agent for the estate of Lester Dent, and the author of over 50 novels, including several posthumous Doc Savage collaborations with series originator Lester Dent, among them “Python Isle”, “White Eyes”, and his latest novel “Desert Demons”, soon to be released by Altus Press.
Roger Rittner (producer, director) has written, produced, and directed specials and multi-part series for National Public Radio, including the drama series “Darkness”, the mystery/macabre series “Midnight”, “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, and the musical special “Charlie Sent Me!” Other radio projects have been heard on stations KMPC, KFI, and KGBS in Los Angeles. Roger created and directed The Variety Arts Radio Theatre, live recreations of classic radio drama, for 10 years at the Variety Arts Center in Los Angeles.
Richard Epcar (narrator) is well known to animation, anime, and gaming fans, having voiced over 300 characters in his lengthy career. He is “Batou” in “Ghost in the Shell” and he’s also featured in a new series from Nickelodeon, “Airbender: The Legend of Korra’. Video game credits include “Robotech”, “Kingdom Hearts”, “Transformers”, “Star Wars”, “Mortal Kombat”, “Modnation Racers”, “Mortal Kombat vs. D.C. Universe”, “Call of Duty: Black Ops”, “Dead Space”, “Star Craft”, “Red Faction Guerilla”, “Command & Conquer”, “Xenosaga”, “Guilty Gears”, “.Hack”, and “Resident Evil”, to name only a few. Animation fans have heard his voice in “Bleach”, “Bobobo”, “X-Men”, “Macross Plus”, “The New Speed Racer”, “Rurouni Kenshin”, “Lupin the Third”, “Digimon”, and “Power Rangers”. On camera, Richard has appeared in many films and television shows, including “Memoirs of an Invisible Man”, “Columbo”, “Diagnosis Murder”, “Guns of Paradise”, “Beverly Hills 90210”, “Matlock”, “Who’s the Boss?”, “Cheers”, “Days of Our Lives”, and “General Hospital” and he will be featured in the film “Broken Spirits”, scheduled for release later this year.
###
White Eyes – Unabridged Audiobook
Written by Will Murray, based on a concept by Lester Dent Narrated by Richard Epcar Produced and Directed by Roger Rittner Cover Art by Joe DeVito ISBN: 9781610814027
* Just Released: Classic Whodunits with Sherlock Holmes * In the Treasure Chest This Week * New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 45 and The Shadow Volume 50 * Now Available: Doc Savage in Python Isle Audiobook * New: Orson Welles in The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3 Exciting News! Thanks to an arrangement with Diamond Distributors, you’ll soon be seeing audio compact disc collections from RadioArchives.com available from booksellers and on-line book stores world-wide! So the next time you visit your favorite bookseller or comic book store, ask for “The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”, “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, and other great audio collections from RadioArchives.com! Just Released: Classic Whodunits with Sherlock Holmes
In the annals of detective fiction, there are many investigators who could lay claim to legendary status. But, for many, the most famous, the most unique, and the most emulated would be the pipe smoking, violin playing, and deer-stalker clad gentleman known as Sherlock Holmes.
Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes and his faithful friend and companion Doctor Watson have been a significant part of popular culture ever since their adventures first appeared in the Strand Magazine in 1887. In the years that have followed, Holmes and Watson have made their way to the stage, the movies, television, and even graphic novels – but, for fans of classic radio, “The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” remains among the best interpretations of these two unforgettable characters and their often baffling cases.
The two actors most associated with the roles during radio’s Golden Age were, of course, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. But Rathbone’s departure from the series in 1946 resulted in another actor taking on the part: Tom Conway, the suave and handsome leading man who had recently been seen as The Falcon in the popular RKO movie series. Though long-time fans were understandably dubious of the change, Conway’s talents fit the role like a glove and he, along with Nigel Bruce, continued to broadcast the series from Hollywood for another successful season.
In “The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 1”, RadioArchives.com brings you ten exciting and fully restored episodes from this little-known chapter in the life of the World’s Greatest Consulting Detective, just as originally aired in 1946 and starring Tom Conway and Nigel Bruce. Priced at just $14.98 for the five audio CD set, or $9.98 for the digital download, this collection also features original cover art by Timothy Lantz. Visit RadioArchives.com and add Sherlock Holmes to your personal library of mystery favorites right away!
(Note for long-time customers: this 5-hour collection is a repackaged re-release of the first half of a 10-CD set which we previously offered in our catalog. In addition to new cover art, all of the shows in this collection have been newly restored from the original masters to ensure outstanding audio fidelity.)
In the Treasure Chest This Week Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson have appeared in many mediums – but two of their most fascinating cases were recently featured in an exciting graphic novel from Moonstone, offering tales of two of their most challenging foes: Dracula and The Invisible Man!
“Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, Volume 1”, a colorful 200 page softcover book, is normally available for sale on our website for $22.95. But, from Friday June 24th thru Monday June 27th, these suspenseful stories of crime and terror can be yours for Just 99 Cents with any purchase of $35.00 or more.
But that’s not the only bargain you’ll find this week in the Radio Archives Treasure Chest:
On Tuesday, June 28th, you’ll enjoy two action-packed tales of The Man of Bronze in “Doc Savage, Volume 18”. Normally priced at $12.95, for one day only, this book can be yours for Just 99 Cents with your purchase of $35.00 or
more. And, if detective stories are your passion, you can’t do better than Bob Bailey starring in “Let George Do It, Volume 1″, a 10-CD set featuring twenty long-lost radio shows from the 1940s. This collection is normally priced at $29.98 but, on Wednesday June 29th and Thursday June 30th, it too can be added to your personal library for Just 99 Cents with any purchase of $35.00 or more.
Whether it’s tales of mystery and suspense with Sherlock Holmes, the thrilling adventures of Doc Savage, or the detective cases of George Valentine, you’ll find some great bargains in the Treasure Chest this week at RadioArchives.com! New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 45 and The Shadow Volume 50 Great news! Two brand new double novel pulp reprints have just been released and are now available from RadioArchives.com!
In “The Shadow, Volume 50”, priced at just $14.95, Sanctum Books celebrates the publication of its 100th Shadow novel with an extra-length volume showcasing tales by each of the pulp wordsmiths who wrote as Maxwell Grant. First, “The Man from Shanghai” is caught in the web of a murderous mastermind in one of Walter Gibson’s greatest thrillers. Then, blood sapphires drip a deadly trail across Manhattan in Theodore Tinsley’s “The Golden Dog Murders”. Finally, Lamont Cranston and Joe Cardona go undercover to investigate murders at an Alice in Wonderland ball in Bruce Elliott’s “Jabberwocky Thrust”.
Next, in “Doc Savage, Volume 45”, you’ll thrill to two original pulp adventures as the Man of Bronze returns in two action-packed thrillers by Harold A. Davis and Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, the War Department calls in Doc Savage after a weird wave of mass suffocations decimates the U. S. military. Can the Man of Bronze defeat “Merchants of Disaster” to restore national security? Then in “Measures for a Coffin”, Doc Savage announces his retirement to a stunned world after a fiery accident. This alternate cover edition, issued with a classic cover earlier this year, features artwork by Bantam artist James Bama.
When it comes to thrills, chills, and excitement, there’s nothing like a great pulp fiction story to really get your heart racing. Visit RadioArchives.com and pick up these new releases right away!
Now Available: Doc Savage in Python Isle Audiobook
For over eighty years, the name Doc Savage has meant thrills and excitement to millions of readers worldwide. Now, for the very first time, the Man of Bronze comes to vivid life in “Python Isle”, the first audiobook adventure from RadioArchives.com!
In “Python Isle”, a long-lost pioneer flyer returns to civilization accompanied by an exotic woman who speaks in a lost tongue. From his towering skyscraper headquarters in New York, through a dangerous Zeppelin journey to Cape Town, climaxing on a serpent-haunted island in the forbidden reaches of the Indian Ocean, Doc Savage and his iron comrades race to untangle a weird puzzle so deep that the only clues can be found in the Bible!
Written by Will Murray and produced and directed by Roger Rittner – the same team that brought you “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series – “Python Isle” features dramatic narration by Michael McConnohie, cover art by Joe DeVito, and two exclusive interviews with Will Murray on the history of Doc Savage and the discovery of author Lester Dent’s long lost manuscripts.
“Python Isle”, the first in a new series of unabridged audiobooks from RadioArchives.com, is available now as an eight audio CD set, priced at just $25.98, or as a digital download for just $17.98. In the weeks to come, be sure to visit RadioArchives.com often for more exciting audiobook adventures featuring the top heroes of pulp fiction, including The Spider, Secret Agent X, and many, many more. If you’re looking for adventure, excitement, and suspense, you’ll find it on “Python Isle”, available now from RadioArchives.com!
New: Orson Welles in The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3
For film buffs, it’s a memorable image: Harry Lime – criminal, thief, and black market racketeer – has been killed by a runaway car in the ravaged streets of postwar Vienna. But suddenly, out of the darkness of a moonlit night, a stray spotlight happens upon a doorway – and there he is: Harry Lime, in the flesh, alive…and smiling.
“The Third Man” is a film noir classic, combining a stellar cast, an intriguing story, and images of a once glamorous European city damaged by war, greed, and intrigue. Though brief, Orson Welles performance as Harry Lime remains one of the most memorable characterizations in his long and varied career. Luckily, for fans of audio entertainment, Welles revisited his role in “The Lives of Harry Lime”, a radio series that recounted the adventures of this memorable scoundrel in a series of tongue in cheek adventures that remain some of the best and most imaginative programs ever produced for radio.
In “The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3”, RadioArchives.com brings you ten more light-hearted and colorful tales of crime and criminals starring the legendary Orson Welles. Available as a five-CD audio collection for just $14.98 or a five-hour digital download for just $9.98, these fascinating programs have been transferred directly from original transcriptions and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity. Visit RadioArchives.com and pick up your copy right away!
We’d love to hear from you!Send an e-mail to Service@RadioArchives.com or call us toll free at 800-886-0551 with your comments, questions, or suggestions.
Listen to this Newsletter!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest compact disc collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest CD sets, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
The releases we’ve described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s pulp fiction classics, our new line of audiobooks, colorful and exciting items from Moonstone, timeless movies and television shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you’ll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in entertainment.
First, some housekeeping. Yes, it’s been a while since I debuted this column and due to a variety of reasons, this is the first one in awhile. Do not worry, pulpsters, there will be one a week after this ad infinitum! Audio Pulp is not only an important part of Pulp history that many are not aware of, but its a growing facet of the genre even today, as you will see in this column today and weeks to come.
You’ll notice an addition to our logo. Yes, its true, Radio Archives has stepped forward, noticing the trend toward Audio Pulp and entered into an arrangement with All Pulp to sponsor this column. RA produces top of the line audio material bringing old time classic radio of all varieties to a modern audience. Fantastic sound quality, tremendous effort to not only preserve material, but also provide new and interesting information on material, and awesome packaging make RA’s offerings top notch. RA as well is readying itself to be one of the leaders in New Audio Pulp with its foray into audiobooks based on Pulp characters starring in new stories, just like the one I’m about to leap into the middle of. I will continue to cover all aspects of New Pulp Audio, not simply RA’s contributions, but I do want to thank Harlan Zinck and RA for the support and material and willingness to see the importance of this column enough to sponsor it.
PYTHON ISLE-A Doc Savage Audiobook Written by Will Murray based on a concept By Lester Dent Narrated by Michael McConnohie Directed and Produced by Roger Rittner Published by Radio Archives (www.radioarchives.com)
Not only has Radio Archives decided to move into New Pulp audio, They have done it by taking giant steps. The first RA offering in their Pulp Audiobook lineup is not only no lightweight when it comes to Pulp, but instead it is probably the top of the heap, the primo of premium pulp. And, not to telegraph this review or anything, Radio Archives meets that challenge just the way Doc Savage would have.
PYTHON ISLE is an audiobook version of the novel written in 1991 by Will Murray, based on a concept by Lester Dent. Directed and produced by Roger Rittner for RA and narrated by Michael Mcconnohie. The story opens with diamond smugglers catching sight of a plane they believe to be the authorities. Once the plane is downed, the smugglers discover that not only are there two strangely garbed people aboard, but the plane, once damaged, had been patched and repaired with what appears to be soft, pure gold. One of the plane passengers, a man who can speak English, is desperate to protect a bamboo tube he has and to make contact with only one man-Doc Savage!
Author Will Murray
What ensues from this tense, in your face opening is the stuff pulp dreams are made of. From fist fights and gun battles to harrowing chases in various locales all the way to a ride and epic conflict aboard a Zeppelin, PYTHON ISLE delivers all the thrills and chills anyone could want. Add into that that this is a Doc Savage tale complete with Doc’s stoic presence, supreme intelligence, and skills honed finer than any blade as well as three of the five aides in their finest form ever and what you have in PYTHON ISLE is more than a treat, better than a nice surprise. It is simply New Pulp storytelling at its best.
Narrator Michael McConnohie
With material like this, one would think that it would be difficult for an audiobook version to add anything at all to it. Boy, one would be wrong. PYTHON ISLE from Radio Archives takes this story from the pinnacle it already reaches in prose to an unbelievable high mark as an audiobook. Michael McConnohie is more than the ‘reader’ or ‘narrator’ of this adventure. He brings the exact intensity and passion to this story that any well crafted Doc tale would command. His mastery of his own voice is phenomenal, switching back and forth from Monk’s high pitched affectation to Renny’s thunderous rumblings and then to Bull Pizano’s gravelly retort. McConnohie makes this feel like a full cast audio drama and that brings the listener completely into the folds of the story.
Director/Producer Roger Rittner
One issue many audiobooks have, and this is in part due to the fact that they are based on written prose, not scripts, is pacing. At times, audiobooks lag in the middle and whatever gait had been set previously is lost. This is definitely an issue with Pulp stories due to the naturally frenetic pacing good Pulp should have. PYTHON ISLE does not fall victim to this. Due to McConnohie’s voicing as well as Roger Rittner’s directing, this tale moves along at a good clip from beginning to end. There are points that I, being both an avid Pulp reader and an audio fan, predicted were going to be those spots where things started to plod and slow down, but every single time due to either a musical sting or a change in inflection or even the speed at which the words were delivered, that plodding never came, nothing slowed down. Rittner produced a fine piece of roller coaster up and down drama, probably the finest I’ve ever listened to.
Could PYTHON ISLE be better? Usually I would say that any audiobook could be improved by adding voices and sound effects and changing the leopard’s spots, so to speak, from audiobook to full cast drama. And don’t get me wrong, I would love to hear this story given that treatment. Having said that, though, I think that in this case, it would not improve what has been done to make it a full cast drama. I feel like that this audiobook would sit on a shelf right alongside the best possible version of this story as a full drama and still hold its own. The feeling I got from listening to PYTHON ISLE was much akin to what it must have felt like sitting in a darkened theater in the 1940s waiting to see what Captain Marvel or Gene Autry would do in the next chapter of the latest serial. It was nail biting, cliff hanging, and inspiring.
Radio Archives has announced that this is only the first of their Pulp Audio books and that future volumes would not only include Doc, but cover other characters as well. If that’s the case, then I’m one heckuva happy Pulpster.
Get Your First Digital Download from RadioArchives.com for Just 99 Cents!
* Download Detective Adventures with Philip Marlowe * Just Released: Orson Welles in The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3 * Now Available: Doc Savage in Python Isle Audiobook * In the Treasure Chest This Week * New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49 * New: Hollywood Classics in The Lux Radio Theatre, Volume 2 Download Detective Adventures with Philip Marlowe
His name is synonymous with classic detective fiction. Whether on the silver screen or on the air, Philip Marlowe personifies everything we know and love about the gumshoes of the 1940s: the snap brim fedora, the seedy office, the mean streets of Los Angeles, and a hard working detective just trying to make an honest living without getting punched or shot down in cold blood.
“The Adventures of Philip Marlowe” is a classic in the grand tradition of dramatic radio entertainment – and now, to introduce you to the New Digital Downloads available from RadioArchives.com, twelve of Marlowe’s most exciting cases can be yours to download – for Just 99 Cents!
Visit RadioArchives.com today and, to the right on our home page, look for the graphic that will take you directly to “The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, Volume 3”. Place your order, pay Just 99 Cents and, within minutes, you’ll be enjoying edge of your seat thrills from this detective classic, playable on your home computer or on your favorite portable device.
In the weeks to come, be sure to visit the Digital Downloads page at RadioArchives.com often to see what’s new. Whether it’s detective action with Philip Marlowe, the star-studded motion picture classics of “The Lux Radio Theatre”, or “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, you’ll find great audio entertainment waiting for you with Digital Downloads from RadioArchives.com!Just Released: Orson Welles in The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3
For film buffs, it’s a memorable image: Harry Lime – criminal, thief, and black market racketeer – has been killed by a runaway car in the ravaged streets of postwar Vienna. But suddenly, out of the darkness of a moonlit night, a stray spotlight happens upon a doorway – and there he is: Harry Lime, in the flesh, alive…and smiling.
“The Third Man” is a film noir classic, combining a stellar cast, an intriguing story, and images of a once glamorous European city damaged by war, greed, and intrigue. Though brief, Orson Welles performance as Harry Lime remains one of the most memorable characterizations in his long and varied career. Luckily, for fans of audio entertainment, Welles revisited his role in “The Lives of Harry Lime”, a radio series that recounted the adventures of this memorable scoundrel in a series of tongue in cheek adventures that remain some of the best and most imaginative programs ever produced for radio.
In “The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3”, RadioArchives.com brings you ten more light-hearted and colorful tales of crime and criminals starring the legendary Orson Welles. Available as a five-CD audio collection for just $14.98 or a five-hour digital download for just $9.98, these fascinating programs have been transferred directly from original transcriptions and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity. Visit RadioArchives.com and pick up your copy right away!
Python Isle Audiobook
Now Available: Doc Savage in
For over eighty years, the name Doc Savage has meant thrills and excitement to millions of readers worldwide. Now, for the very first time, the Man of Bronze comes to vivid life in “Python Isle”, the first audiobook adventure from RadioArchives.com!
In “Python Isle”, a long-lost pioneer flyer returns to civilization accompanied by an exotic woman who speaks in a lost tongue. From his towering skyscraper headquarters in New York, through a dangerous Zeppelin journey to Cape Town, climaxing on a serpent-haunted island in the forbidden reaches of the Indian Ocean, Doc Savage and his iron comrades race to untangle a weird puzzle so deep that the only clues can be found in the Bible!
Written by Will Murray and produced and directed by Roger Rittner – the same team that brought you “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series – “Python Isle” features dramatic narration by Michael McConnohie, cover art by Joe DeVito, and two exclusive interviews with Will Murray on the history of Doc Savage and the discovery of author Lester Dent’s long lost manuscripts.
“Python Isle”, the first in a new series of unabridged audiobooks from RadioArchives.com, is available now as an eight audio CD set, priced at just $25.98, or as a digital download for just $17.98. In the weeks to come, be sure to visit RadioArchives.com often for more exciting audiobook adventures featuring the top heroes of pulp fiction, including The Spider, Secret Agent X, and many, many more. If you’re looking for adventure, excitement, and suspense, you’ll find it on “Python Isle”, available now from RadioArchives.com!
In the Treasure Chest This Week
If you subscribe to our newsletter, you’re certainly familiar with the Treasure Chest Bonus deals that are available to you every day at RadioArchives.com. But what you may not know is that, each week, from Friday thru Monday, you’ll find our newest compact disc collection offered at an amazingly low bargain price. That’s right: our brand new collection of classic radio shows, priced so low that you’ll find it almost impossible to resist. Of course, for fans of pulp fiction, books, or other entertainment, the Treasure Chest offers you great deals as well – and, since these deals change on a regular basis, you’ll want to visit RadioArchives.com often and see what’s waiting for you. Here, for example, are the bargains you’ll find waiting for you this week:* Today through Monday June 20th, you can get our newest CD set – “The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3”, a $14.98 value – for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
* On Tuesday June 21st, pulp fiction’s legendary Knight of Darkness returns in “The Shadow Volume 14”, featuring two classic stories from pulp fiction’s Golden Age:
“The Grove of Doom” and“The Masked Lady”. This beautifully reformatted double-novel reprint is normally priced at $12.95 – but you can enjoy these two exciting adventures for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
* On Wednesday June 22nd and Thursday June 23rd, Richard Kollmar stars in “Boston Blackie, Volume 1”, a ten-CD collection featuring twenty exciting detective adventures. This audio compact disc collection normally sells for $29.98 – but, for one day only, it can be yours for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.Make it a habit to visit RadioArchives.com often and see what’s waiting for you in the Treasure Chest. You’ll find a deal we know you won’t want to miss! New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49
If you just can’t get enough of the page-turning adventures of the great pulp heroes, stop by RadioArchives.com today for two new double novel pulp reprints:In “Doc Savage Volume 48”, priced at just $14.95, you’ll thrill to the classic adventures of the Man of Bronze in two original novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, what is the bizarre connection between the appearance of “Red Snow” and the disappearance of a United States senator? Our national security may depend on Doc Savage’s discovery of the sinister secret! Then, in “Death Had Yellow Eyes”, Monk Mayfair is abducted while the Man of Bronze is framed for bank robbery and murder. This classic pulp reprint is available in two editions: one features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, while the alternate edition features an impressive painting by Bantam artist James Bama. Both feature Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by historian Will Murray.
Next, the radio origins of the Knight of Darkness are showcased in “The Shadow Volume 49”, priced at just $14.95 and featuring two classic pulp novels by Walter Gibson, writing as Maxwell Grant. First, the Dark Avenger teams with Secret Service agent Vic Marquette to investigate a far-reaching counterfeiting ring in “The Shadow Laughs!”, the landmark novel that introduced the real Lamont Cranston. Then, how can The Shadow prove that an innocent man is not a murderer when several witnesses have identified the young man as the “Voice of Death”? This instant collector’s item features the original color pulp covers by Jerome Rozen and Graves Gladney, classic interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, and commentary by popular-culture historians Will Murray and Anthony Tollin.
There’s nothing like the action and excitement you’ll get from a great pulp fiction adventure story. Visit RadioArchives.com and browse our extensive array of pulp classics right away.
New: Hollywood Classics in The Lux Radio Theatre, Volume 2
During radio’s Golden Age, many dramatic programs capitalized on the tinsel and glamour of Hollywood – but none was more successful or legendary than “The Lux Radio Theatre”. Hosted by pioneer director Cecil B. DeMille, the show was a weekly habit for millions of avid listeners who tuned in to hear their favorite screen stars in hour-long adaptations of their recent film successes.
Star studded and lavishly produced, “The Lux Radio Theatre” remains a stylish part of both radio and motion picture entertainment – and, in a second collection of original programs, RadioArchives.com brings you six fully restored broadcasts featuring such superstars as Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins, Leslie Howard, and Olivia DeHavilland. Hearing them is just like taking a trip back to the 1930s and spending an evening at a glittering movie palace.
If you’re a movie or radio buff, you’ll love “The Lux Radio Theatre, Volume 2”. Available as a six audio CD set for just $17.98 or as a digital download for just $11.98, be sure to stop by RadioArchives.com and order your copy right away!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest compact disc collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest CD sets, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
The greatest series from the pages of Dime Detective Magazine is finally collected in four large editions. Running from 1931-37,
If you’re a fan of pulp fiction, you know that, in the 1930s and 1940s, there were three heroes who dominated the newsstands of America: the mysterious enemy of the underworld known as The Shadow, the tall and muscular Doc Savage, and a troubled and vengeful vigilante known as The Spider. Here at 
“The Spider Volume 20” 
For years, entertainment on the go meant a transistor radio or a portable 8-track or cassette player. But nowadays, thanks to the new digital technologies, you can travel the world and take a world of entertainment with you to enjoy along the way!
Whether you enjoy your entertainment on your laptop, your cell phone, or one of the many small portable devices now available, when you’re on the go, be sure to take the great sounding radio shows and audiobooks from Radio Archives right along with you. All of our digital downloads offer the same impressive audio fidelity as our compact disc collections and are available to you around the world around the clock at 
Looking for a great deal in entertainment? Then you can’t go wrong with the 
In “Mass Movement Magazine”, Tim Cundle writes: 
If you were a stay-at-home housewife in the 1930s and 1940s, you were most likely a fan of the soap operas. Ever-present on radio, and later on television, these daytime dramas of romance, heartbreak, mother love, sacrifice, and somewhat overdramatized family life became a staple in the lives of millions of avid listeners – many of whom planned their daytime chores around the five-times-a-week adventures of “Our Gal Sunday”, “Ma Perkins”, “Stella Dallas”, and the other dramas that dominated the airwaves between 10 AM and 5 PM.
Listen to this Newsletter! 
If you were a stay-at-home housewife in the 1930s and 1940s, you were most likely a fan of the soap operas. Ever-present on radio, and later on television, these daytime dramas of romance, heartbreak, mother love, sacrifice, and somewhat overdramatized family life became a staple in the lives of millions of avid listeners – many of whom planned their daytime chores around the five-times-a-week adventures of “Our Gal Sunday”, “Ma Perkins”, “Stella Dallas”, and the other dramas that dominated the airwaves between 10 AM and 5 PM.
For well over a decade, 
If you often enjoy audio entertainment on your computer, your cell phone, or a portable device, you’ll be glad to hear that we’re continuing to add selections to the Digital Downloads page at 
Anyone living in the world today knows that true heroes are very hard to come by. But, in the pulp fiction world of the 1930s and 1940s, heroes were always on watch to fight the criminals and evildoers that threatened our way of life. You’ll find proof of this in the two new double-novel pulp reprints now available from 
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? In 
Listen to this Newsletter! 
