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SF-LOVERS Digest            Tuesday, 6 Oct 1992       Volume 17 : Issue 518

Today's Topics:

                       Miscellaneous - Pulp FAQ List

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 22 Sep 92 15:34:47 GMT
From: michaelb@cse.fau.edu (Michael Rogero Brown)
Reply-to: sf-lovers-misc@Rutgers.Edu
Subject: PULP FAQ List

         PULP FACT LIST

version 0.8

last updated: Sept 8, 1992
  New Information this version:
    Updated Bronze Gazette subscription info.
    Corrected info on New & Old Pulp fanzines.
    Jake Speed added to movies.

This is the unofficial pulp FACT list.  I am still working on it.  Any
comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

   * What are pulp magazines?
   * Are there any equivalents to pulps today?
   * Who are some of the major pulp characters?
   *    info on the Shadow
   *    info on Doc Savage
   *    info on the Avenger
   *    info on the Spider
   *    info on G-8
   *    others (Black Bat, Phantom Dick, Secret Agent X, Operator 5,
          "yellow-menace" villian pulps, Dr Death, Whisperer, Captain
           Science, et al)
   * Do indexes for these characters exist on-line?
   * Have pulp heroes made any impact on popular culture?
   * Have there been attempts to do modern-day pulp-style characters?
   * What is PJ Farmer's Wold Newton Family?
   * Are there any pulp fanzines?
   * Are there any pulp conventions?

[Author's note: While I am a fan of science-fiction, horror, and crime
stories that first appeared in the pulps, my main interest here is with
hero-pulps.  My apologies to those interested in other types]

Q: What are pulp magazines?

A: Pulp magazines were cheap magazines that existed from the turn of the
centuary to the early 50s.  They were called "pulp" because they were
printed on pulp paper, the cheapest paper available.  You could see the
bits of wood in the paper.  The edges of the magazines where ragged and the
covers where printed on slick papers with colorful covers.  In terms of
literary quality, they were at the bottom of the rung.  Many well-known
(and respected) authors got their start writing for the pulps.  The term
"pulp" refers not just to the paper of the magazines, but to the style of
writing.  There were pulp paper magazines that are not "pulps" and there
are "pulps" that were printed on slick paper.

Pulp magazines covered many different genres.  In addition to those
publishing stories in general there were many which focused on a specific
type.  There were: crime/mystery/detective, war, love, science-fiction,
horror, adult, sports, westerns, air stories and so on.  There were a
variety of short-lived magazines that had 'unusual' topics like pirates,
firefighters, zepplins, civil war, submarines, etc.  There where about 1300
different titles, with crime/mystery being about the largest with 180
titles.

Each issue was full of stories, usually consisting of a novel and filled
out with several shorter stories.  Pseudonyms were prevalent so a given
issue might have a majority of stories written by the same person, but
because of the use of pseudonyms and the fact that most writers were able
to use different styles, the reader would be unaware of this.

One of the major contribution of pulps was the genre called "character
pulps", or 'hero-pulps' which focused on a single set of heroes like the
Shadow, Doc Savage, the Spider, etc.  "Character pulps" themselves had
several sub-genres.  There were the "Yellow Menace" style pulps inspired by
Fu Manchu.  There were the "Masked Detective" group including Phantom
Detective and Black Bat.  These were a continuation of the dime-novel
heroes of the turn of the century.  And it is these that I think most of
the readers of alt.pulp are interested in.

Q: Are there any equivalents to pulps today?

A: Yes, they're called "paperback adventure series".  Seriously, paperbacks
fill the same niche as the old pulp magazines.  Just as the old pulp
writers hoped to `move up' to slick magazines and original books, most
paperback novelists hope to move up to original hardback books.  In
particular the paperback series like the Executioner, Nick Carter (a
revival of sorts of the pulp and dime novel character), the Destroyer, the
Penetrator, et al. are similiar in many way to the old pulp character
magazines.  Of course, these number adventure series would never have
happened if Bantam's reprint series of Doc Savage and the new Nick Carter
series had failed.

In fact, Will Murray, the new Kenneth Robeson, is the current writer of the
Destroyer series.

Q: What are some of the major pulp characters?

[ section under construction ]

Q: Do indexes exist for these characters on-line?

A: Yes and No.  A few months back Nick Sauer and myself put together
several files containing the index for most of the hero pulps.  At present
they include: The Avenger, Black Bat, Captain Future, Doc Savage (2 files),
G-8, Moon Man, Nick Carter, Operator 5, Phantom Detective, Secret Agent X,
The Shadow (2 files), Spider, Whisperer.  There is a set of 6 files
containing most of the minor hero/villian pulps and another containing
Weird Heroes, an attempt at creating a modern paperback hero-pulp
anthology.

The indexes include volume and issue numbers, authors, date of publication,
paperback reprints, and comic book, radio, movie, and other book
appearances of the characters.  I plan on putting together a file
containing the Shadow radio episodes sometime in the future.

I have posted these files occasionally to alt.pulp.  I would like to have
these files available on an anonymous ftp site, but do not know how to do
this.  I will email them to anyone who wants them.

Q: Have pulp heroes made any impact on popular culture?

A: Yes, but to a great extent most people don't realize it.  Who hasn't
heard of the phrases "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit, crime does not
pay, the Shadow Knows!" or "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
The Shadow Knows!" which come from the widely popular Shadow radio show?
For the most part the pulp heroes influenced other characters who became
much more popular.  Batman was influenced quite a bit by Zorro, the Shadow,
and Doc Savage, all pulp heroes.  Doc Savage had a great influence on
Superman.  During the 50s a great deal of ideas from Doc was added to
Superman.  Superman got an Arctic Fortress of Solitude (just like Doc), he
got a superpowered cousin (just like Doc), and so on.  Much of the gadgetry
of James Bond, Man from U.N.C.L.E., et al. was done before by Doc.

Comic book heroes started off being influenced by the pulps before they
went in their own directions.  A pulp-influenced comic character would be
one who wore ordinary clothes such as a fedora and overcoat (no matter how
colorful) vs.  some kind of skin-tight spandex outfit and would be better
than average person as opposed to a superhuman.  Some examples of
pulp-influenced comic characters are the DC's Dr. Occult and the original
Sandman (who wore a green suit, purple cape, and orange fedora with a weird
gas-mask).

Q: Have there been attempts to do new pulp-style hero characters?

A: There have been a few attempts at doing original pulp-style characters
in books, comics, and movies with limited success.  Ones I am aware of are:
(NOTE: These are original characters, not adaptations of classic pulp
characters.  This rules out stuff like Conan movies, Doc comics, etc.)

  BOOKS:   Buckaroo Banzai novelization(Earl Mac Rauch)- contains info on
            character left out in the movie.

           Lin Carter- Prince Zarkon of the Unknown Series
              1. Nemesis of Evil
              2. Invisible Death
              3. Volcano Ogre
              4. Earth-Shaker
              5. Horror Wears Blue
              6. Moon Menace (not yet published)

            An Avenger/Doc style character with aides.
             Most novels have cameos of pulp characters.

           Frank Dille & David Marconi- Agent 13 series
              1. The Midnight Avenger
              2. Serpentine Assassins
              3. Acolytes of Darkness

           Dr. Bones series from Byron Priess Visual Productions
              1. The Secret of the Loma (Stephen Leigh)
              2. The Cosmic Bomber (William F. Wu)
              3. Garukan Blood (Thomas Wilde)
              4. The Dragons of Komako (John Gregory Betancourt)
              5. Nightmare World (David Stern)
              6. Journey to Rilla (Thomas Wilde)

             A pulpish space adventurer consceived by the creator of the
              Weird Heroes series.

           Phillip Jose Farmer- Lord Grandrith/Doc Caliban Series
              1. A Feast Unknown
              2. Lord of the Trees
              3. Mad Goblin
              4. Secret Immortals (exist??)

            Series dealing with the "real" Tarzan and Doc Savage.

           Weird Heroes: A New American Pulp (ed Byron Preiss) 8 volumes.
            An attempt to create new pulp-style heroes.  Unfortunatly had
            limited success.  A mixture of anthologies and novels.
            An index is posted to alt.pulp.

  COMICS:   Agent 13(TSR) graphic novel & comic based on pulp-style books.

            Dominic Fortune(Marvel) character created by Howard Chaykin.
             Similiar in some ways to his "Scorpion" character.  A soldier
             of fortune-style character set in the 30s.  Appeared in
             several showcase series at Marvel.  Has also appear in modern
             times as an old man searching for his lover from the 30s.

            Dreamwalker(Marvel) graphic novel dealing with a pulp style
            hero.

            Prowler/Revenge of the Prowler(Eclipse) character based on
             pulp heroes and movie serials.

            Scorpion(Atlas) character created by Howard Chaykin.
             Mercenarial immortal man set in the 30s.  Only the first 2
             issues good.  Chaykin left after #2, #3 is set in modern times
             with Scorpion now a costumed do-gooder.

            Wordsmith(Renegade) series deals with a writer of pulp heroes.
             This 12-issue series has been collected in a trade paperback
             by Caliber.  There is a 'companion' series called _Heroes from
             Wordsmith_ dealing with the pulp characters.  Only one issue
             has appeared so far (from Special Studio).

            Rocketeer(Eclipse) series more influenced by rocket-pack movie
             serials.  But in the comic series we find that it was Doc who
             created the rocket-pack.

            Twilight Avenger(??/Eternity) pulp-style hero set in the 30s

  MOVIES:   Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.
               Banzai, the rock-star/physisist/doctor/hero with his
               aides are very pulp-like in style.

            Dark Man - The Spider was an inspiration for this character
               according to the creator of the character.

            Jake Speed - Hero from a paperback novel series (the novels are
             written by Jake's assistant to fund their adventures) helps a
             woman looking for her sister taken by white slavers.  Jake
             mentions the Destroyer and Doc as being real people.

Q: What is Phillip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton Family?

A: Farmer's idea of the Wold Newton was put forth in TARZAN ALIVE and DOC
SAVAGE: HIS APOCALYPTIC LIFE, his two "biographies" of those characters.
Basically the idea is that in the 1700s a radioactive meteor landed near
Wold Newton, England.  The radiation affected the occupants of two nearby
coachs.  The decendents of these people became the real-life heroes and
villians that are the basis for almost all the major and minor literary
heroes of the last couple of centuries, including such diverse characters
as Fu Manchu, James Bond, Travis McGee, most of the pulp heroes, the
Scarlet Pimpernel and others. Of course the stories we have read about them
are exagerated fiction about them, so that most people think them wholly
fictious.  Some people like this concept, many do not.  Farmer has written
several works linking these people together (like the ADVENTURE OF THE
PEERLESS PEER and THE OTHER LOG OF PHINEAS FOGG) and there was a
short-lived fanzine devoted to the idea.

[This section still under construction]

Q: Are there any magazines devoted to pulps?

A: There are several still being published.  Some of these 'zines have put
out other works on the pulps.  If your are requesting info, such as latest
price info, back issue availablity, etc, please include a SASE.  Where
indicated, make checks payable to the publisher, not the 'zine.  Funds
should be in American currency.
   The 'zines vary widely in quality.  "Quality" here meaning production
quality.  They range from xeroxed and hand folden zines, to nicely bound
with slick covers.  Art ranges from amatear (some good, some amatearish) to
professional.  Articles are almost always of high quality.  The prominient
pulp writers and researchs will have articles in all the 'zines.

  BRONZE GAZETTE (was DOC SAVAGE GAZETTE)

        Howard Wright
        PO BOX 1145
        Modesto, CA 95353

    Small (8.5 x 5.5) 'zine devoted to Doc Savage.
    Subscriptions are $12/3.  Make checks payable to Howard Wright.
    At present subscriptions are to issues #8,9,10 only. FEW back issues
    available.

  GOLDEN PERILS

        Golden Perils Press  (Howard Hopkins)
        5 Milliken Mills Rd
        Scarboro, ME  04070

     Small (8.5 x 5.5) 'zine.  Has occasion 'theme issues'.
     Subscriptions are $12/3 issues, single issues are $4.
     Make checks payable to Howard Hopkins.
     Some back issues available and has other booklets available.
     At present magazine is on "hiatus".  Do not know when it will
     resume publication.

  ECHOES
  BEHIND THE MASK

        Fading Shadows, Inc  (Tom Johnson)
        504 E Morris St
        Seymour, TX 76380

      _Echoes_ is the longest running `zine, has existed for about
      ten years with over 60 issues.  It is a large format (8.5 x 11)
      'zine.
      Subscriptions are $21/6 issues, single issues are $3.60.
      _Behind the Mask_  reprints hard to find pulp hero fiction.
      Subscriptions are $19/4 issues, single issues are $4.85.
      _Behind_ is published 6 times a year, #14 is most recent.
      Some back issues of both mags are available as are other booklets.
      I believe checks should be made out to Tom Johnson.

  PULP COLLECTOR
  PULP REVIEW

        Pulp Collector Press  (John Gunnison)
        4704 Col Ewell Crt
        Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

      _Pulp Collector_ is considered to be the highest quality 'zine.
      Subscriptions are $20/4 issues, single issues are $6.00.
      Most recent is #21 I believe.
      _Pulp Review_ is a small (8.5 x 5.5) mag reprinting classic pulp
      stories. Subscriptions are $25/6 issues, single issues are $5.  Most
      recent is #3?  Some back issues of both are available as are other
      booklets. Make checks payable to John Gunnison.

  PULP VAULT

        Tattered Pages Press  (Doug Ellis)
        6942 N. Oleander
        Chicago, IL  60631

       Large, high quality 'zine publishing articles, story reprints,
       and unpublished pulp stories.  Subscriptions are no longer accepted,
       single issues are $7.95. Most recent issue is #10.
       Some back issues are available as are other booklets.

   SPICY ARMADILLO STORIES

         Jerry Page
         193 Battery Pl NE
         Atlanta, GA 30307

       Recently started fanzine publishing articles and new fiction.
       Subscriptions are $20/6 issues, single issues are $5.

   Others???

   Defunct fanzines

      AGE OF THE UNICORN (early 80s, at least 8 issues)
      BRONZE SHADOWS (Fred Cook, 1965-??, 15 issues, first fanzine)
      CLOAK & PISTOL (Joe Lewandowski, early 80s)
      DOC SAVAGE QUARTERLY (early 80s)
      DOC SAVAGE & ASSOCIATES (one-shot)
      DUENDE (Odyssey Publ, mid 70's, at least 2 issues)
      THE MAN OF BRONZE (one-shot)
      NEMESIS, INC. [was DOC SAVAGE CLUB READER]
             (Frank Lewandowski, 1977-91, 30 issues)
      PULP (Robert Weinburg ?)
      PULP ERA (Lynn Hickman)
      PULPETTE (Joe Lewandowski, early 80s)
      SAVAGE SOCIETY OF BRONZE (at least 4 issues)
      THE WOLD ATLAS (about 5 issues, early '80s, concerned with Farmer's
         ideas)
      XENOPHILE (Nils Hardin, 1972-79, ~30 issues)
     others???

Q: Are there any pulp conventions?

A: Yes.  There is Pulpcon.  It's usually held once a year near Dayton,
Ohio.  The latest, Pulpcon 21, was held July 16-19, 1992.  For information
on future Pulpcons write: Rusty Hevelin, PO BOX 1332, Dayton, OH, 45401.

Michael R. Brown
Florida Atlantic Univ
Internet: michaelb@sol.cse.fau.edu
BitNet: m_brown@fauvax

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End of SF-LOVERS Digest
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