Introduction

Downtown Wichita Falls, Texas, in the mid 1940’s was a bustling metropolis for a boy of 7 just away from the farm and ranch community where he was born. My father, a cook and cowboy by trade, had just started as one of the first cooks for the Casa Manana restaurant in 1947. He moved us to an apartment on Ohio Street, right across from the Gem Theater, between 7th and 8th Streets. It’s here that we would stay for the next three years. The Gem Theater became a magic palace for a young mind. But it had to share that distinction with the rest of the magic that was Wichita Falls. I attended San Jacinto and Carrigan elementary schools, as well as Reagan Junior High, and belonged to the Boys Club on 6th Street. Please join, and share your stories and pictures through a Guest Blog, of early Wichita Falls - or your home town. Contact me at fadingshadows40@gmail.com or leave a comment. We could use old pictures of movie houses, drive-in theaters, and other nostalgic pictures related to our youths.

Showing posts with label OTR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OTR. Show all posts

Friday, March 28, 2014

Radio Archives

Next week I will review another serial, one starring my favorite serial heroine, Linda Sterling, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here is another look at the current listings on Radio Archives.
Tom


 
March 28, 2014
 
Always remember, we have 3 ways to order.
1. Website RadioArchives.com
2. Phone 800-886-0551
3. Email Reply to this email with what you want to order. Payment information will be sent to you.
Whichever method you prefer, order by 7:30pm EDT and your order is mailed today!
 
 
 
Crime does not pay...but, during the Great Depression, some might have argued that it DID pay - and pay very well, too. After the 1929 stock market crash, bank failures, Midwestern crop disasters, and mass unemployment became a daunting part of everyday life, resulting in the rise of the bank robber and gangster as folk hero rather than criminal threat. It would take the election of Franklin Roosevelt and the appointment of such charismatic crime fighters as Melvin Purvis, J. Edgar Hoover, and Elliott Ness to finally turn the tide against the criminal element, turning lawmen into heroes and, eventually, the common man against the criminal element.

In the 1930s, radio played a part in stemming the tide against crime - and never more so than in Calling All Cars, one of the earliest and most influential police procedural shows. Dramatizing true crime exploits and introduced by real-life law enforcement officials, Calling All Cars offered the gritty details of criminal activity in true "ripped from the headlines" style. Led by writer/director William N. Robson, the weekly series gave listeners the audio equivalent of a tough, down in the streets Warner Brothers crime drama, complete with car chases, low-life gunmen, high-crime bosses, frightened victims, and criminal cases that often hit very close to home. Kidnappings, petty thefts, murders, prison breaks, bunco schemes...all were raw materials for the creators of each show and details of all these crimes and more were used as the basis for the realistic dramas presented.

The influence of Calling All Cars extended far beyond its six-year run, acting as a blueprint for such later-day radio series as Dragnet and This is Your FBI. And, although this seventy-year-old series may seem a bit primitive to modern-day audiences, listening to the programs today instantly brings to mind such timeless movie classics as The Public Enemy, Little Caesar, and Scarface.

For its entire run, Calling All Cars was sponsored by the Rio Grande Oil Company and their patented brand of "cracked" gasoline. Luckily, thanks to the limited and expensive network lines of the 1930s, recordings of all of the programs were made for redistribution to the Southwestern states. This is marvelous news for radio buffs, since it means that most of the entire run of Calling All Cars still exists for us to enjoy today. Earlier, Radio Archives issued six volumes of the series, with all of the programs transferred directly from the original transcription recordings. Now, we're proud to offer Calling All Cars, Volume 7, a ten hour set which, like our other collections, has been professionally restored for impressive audio fidelity. These rare and exiting shows are sure to occupy a special place in your personal library. 10 hours. $29.98 Audio CDs / $14.99 Download
 
 
Special 50% discount Offer
From the earliest days of broadcasting, radio audiences always loved a "really big show". In December of 1943, a musical variety series that would quickly become one of the most distinguished - and expensive - radio shows on the air debuted on the then newly formed Blue Network. Titled the Radio Hall of Fame, this hour-long Sunday evening offering presented itself as a weekly tribute to the best entertainment then available on stage, in radio, on recordings, and in motion pictures.
 
Sponsored by the Philco Corporation, makers of refrigerators and the largest radio manufacturer in the country, Radio Hall of Fame featured entertainers considered the best of the best then, many still remembered today, including Fred Allen, Bing Crosby, Orson Welles, and many more!
 
Heard today, the Radio Hall of Fame remains outstanding entertainment, reflecting the tastes of the general public during the latter years of World War II. There's never any shortage of talent on hand. And today, in a time when the once-common variety show has completely disappeared from the airwaves, it's fun to return to an era when listeners could literally expect to hear anyone or anything presented in a sixty-minute line-up.
 
The nine broadcasts in Radio Hall of Fame, Volume 2 have been fully and beautifully restored to the best sparkling audio quality possible. These programs are truly a piece of history as well as examples of some of the finest entertainers of the Twentieth Century and belong in any Pop Culture enthusiast's collection! 9 hours. Regular Price $26.98 - Specially priced until April 10 for $13.49 Audio CDs / $6.74 Download
 
 
 
Will Murray's Pulp Classics #47
by Kendell Foster Crossen writing as Richard Foster
Read by James C. Lewis. Liner Notes by Will Murray
 
 
Conceived in 1939 at the behest of the editors of Munsey Publications to compete with the juggernaut that The Shadow had become in print, on radio and in film, The Green Lama was the creation of writer Kendell Foster Crossen, who was asked to conjure up a hero who could lure mystery-minded readers away from The Shadow’s loyal legion of followers.
 
Inspired by a Columbia University student named Theos Casimir Barnard, who had journeyed to far-off Tibet to plumb the occult mysteries of Lamaism, Crossen concocted millionaire Jethro Dumont, who did the same.
 
“I was trying to pick a name somewhat like in sound to Lamont Cranston,” Crossen candidly admitted. “You know what I mean, Lamont-Dumont. It was as close as I dared get to Lamont Cranston. A book had just been published about an American who had gone to Tibet and studied and had become a lama, the only white person who ever had at that time. The result was the Green Lama, which the company liked.”
 
Returning to the States, Dumont assumed an alternative identity of the Buddhist cleric, the Reverend Dr. Pali, then began gathering about him a band of civic-minded citizens to join him in his Buddhistic battle against suffering in all forms—particularly those caused by criminals. And aiding him from the shadows, the mysterious Magga, a woman of many faces who has taken an interest in guiding The Green Lama’s campaign against malefactors.
 
The Green Lama really gets around in this volume. First, he infiltrates the Big Top for the unusual adventure called The Clown Who Laughed! Then, relocating to the Windy City in time for a major political convention, he goes head-to-head with a Fifth Column scheme to conquer America from within in the exciting Case of the Invisible Enemy!
 
James C. Lewis returns in the triple role of Jethro Dumont and his emerald-clad aliases, Reverend Dr. Pali and The Green Lama....Om Mani Padme Hum! The Green Lama Knows! 6 hours $23.98 Audio CDs / $11.99 Download


Robert Weinberg Presents
by Brian Lumley
Read by Nick Santa Maria
 
 
A Necroscope® as defined by Brian Lumley, the British author of The Necroscope® series, is a person with an ESP power that allows him to communicate with the dead. A Necroscope® contacts the minds of corpses, which do not perish at death. Communication is two-way and peaceful. Harry Keogh is the greatest Necroscope® in the world.
 
Harry Keogh: The Plague Years is part of the Necroscope® The Lost Years series. While aimed at those familiar with the Necroscope® novels, it can be understood and enjoyed by newcomers to the series.
 
Harry Keogh is moving on. Though the search for his missing wife and child continues, his heart now lies in Edinburgh with Bonnie Jean—a beautiful Scottish werewolf whose friendly pack and flourishing pub have given him a place he can almost call home. Life has finally taken a turn for the better. Or so he thinks.
 
But from the rocky heights of Sicily, the diabolical Francezci brothers plot the wolf-pack's destruction; and down in the terrible Pit beneath Le Manse Madonie, an ancient evil schemes.
 
The vampire duo conspire. They reach a decision. They choose a pawn who suits their schemes perfectly. Mafia thug Mike Milazzo is no good to anyone, anytime, anywhere. That makes him perfect for their plan. Mike is a nobody. He’s disposable.
 
The brothers infect Mike with a deadly poison—an engineered plague that even a werewolf cannot survive. Then, the two vampires make him an offer that he can’t refuse. Infect the wolf-pack that they hate with the plague, and he will earn a dose of the antidote. Fail to infect the werewolves—and die.
 
Mike has everything to lose. The Francezci brothers control his destiny. But he doesn’t realize that Harry Keogh stands in his path. The Necroscope® lost everything he held dear once before. He does not plan to let that happen again! 6 hours $23.98 Audio CDs / $11.99 Download
 
 
Robert Weinberg's photo gallery

Bob Weinberg with Brian and Barbara Ann (Silky) Lumley at a World Fantasy Convention.
 
 
New Will Murray's Pulp Classics eBooks
 
The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge eBooks! Will Murray's Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your eReader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and G-8 and His Battle Aces as well as wonderfully obscure characters like the Octopus and Captain Satan. Will Murray's Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday's Pulp today!
 
Only Richard Wentworth knew how pitifully duped were the thousands of innocent New Yorkers, including the entire Police Department, who fervently took up Barnum Wright’s battle cry against Crime! How could the Spider prove that Wright’s Benevolent Order of Americans was actually the Underworld’s New Front in pseudo-patriotic garb — when he lay close to death with a bullet in his spine... and the B.O.A. was already hanging Nita as a spy! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.

Dime Mystery Magazine Arthur Leo Zagat Book 3
In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a collection of stories from the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, all written by Arthur Leo Zagat reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.

The Red Scourge of the Western Front is fought to the death by G-8 and his Battle Aces and the ghosts of War still shudder as they recall the Bloody Wings of the Vampire! G-8 and his Battle Aces rode the nostalgia boom ten years after World War I ended. These high-flying exploits were tall tales of a World War that might have been, featuring monster bats, German zombies, wolf-men, harpies, Martians, and even tentacled floating monsters. Most of these monstrosities were the work of Germany’s seemingly endless supply of mad scientists, chief of whom was G-8’s recurring Nemesis, Herr Doktor Krueger. G-8 battled Germany’s Halloween shock troops for over a decade, not ceasing until the magazine folded in the middle of World War II. G-8 and his Battle Aces return in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 
Double Detective March 1943 The Green Lama #14 The Case of the Beardless Corpse
The Green Lama embarks on his greatest case — to outwit the strange killer who shaves his victim after he’s dead and plants clues for the police before he kills! The jade-robed Buddhist priest who battled crime as The Green Lama is back! Conceived in 1939 at the behest of the editors of Munsey Publications to compete with The Shadow, it was an outlandish concept. While The Shadow possessed the power to cloud men’s minds after his time in the East, The Green Lama relied on other, even weirder, powers — including the ability to become radioactive and electrically shock opponents into submission! He carried a traditional Tibetan scarf, which he employed to bind and befuddle opponents, and possessed a knowledge of vulnerable nerve centers which he put to good use in hand-and-hand combat. Om Mani Padme Hum! The Green Lama knows! The Green Lama returns in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 
99 cent eBook Singles
Each 99 cent eBook Single contains a single short story, one of the many tales selected from the pages of Dime Mystery and Terror Tales. These short stories are not included in any of our other eBooks.

If Brown could be free of the too-familiar voice that would never let him rest, he would give up everything he owned — even life! In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
Before all those gay young guests, my host asked me to leave the party for a moment — for a short drive into eternity! In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
“He should feel better,” Johnny said, “now that he knows his coffin isn’t going to waste...” In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
“Destroyed, before my eyes! Burned! You burned my life, my soul!” In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird me most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story from the pages of Terror Tales magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBooks to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
 
by Will Murray and Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson
 
When a brazen adventuress tries to hire Doc Savage for a secret mission—but won’t tell him why—it lights the fuse for one of the most explosive exploits ever to involve the Man of Bronze.
 
Who is Hornetta Hale? Why does she need to rent Doc’s private submarine? And who is so determined to eliminate her that they destroy Doc Savage’s skyscraper headquarters in the process?
 
From Manhattan Island to the Caribbean Sea, Doc and his fighting crew chase the most violent gang of criminals they have ever encountered in a desperate race to unlock the secret of Phantom Lagoon. Or are they more than mere criminals? Softcover $24.95
 
by Will Murray and Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson
 
The world believed that aviator Tom Franklin was dead. Years before, he had set out on a pioneering transpacific flight alone—and vanished!
 
When he returned, as it from the grave, Franklin and a mysterious woman flew a battered plane that had been repaired with plates of pure gold. Desperately seeking the help of Doc Savage, the mighty Man of Bronze, Franklin and his curvaceous charge fall into the clutches of diamond smuggler Blackbird Hinton and his cutthroat crew—but not before the bronze adventurer hears of their plight.
 
From Manhattan to Cape Town ensues a quest as dangerous as any in recorded history. One that will embroil the compassionate yet hard-fisted Doc Savage and his resourceful men in a raging struggle for control of one of history’s most closely guarded mysteries.The lost secret of Python Isle! Softcover $24.95
 
A special issue celebrating the origin of the Master of Men! First, it's the story that started it all: "The Spider Strikes", from The Spider Magazine, Issue #1, released in October of 1933. In this epic adventure, join Richard Wentworth III (alias The Spider), along with his fiancee Nita van Sloan and his faithful servants, as they struggle to save the nation from a criminal genius. Introduced here is the secret of The Spider's seal and many of the tricks and devices that will serve him so well in the many stories to come. Next, in "Satan's Workshop" (1937), who is kidnapping and extorting money from the city's wealthiest men and most beautiful women? Was it science or sorcery that gave an ordinary and healthy man a severe case of leprosy? While the police close in on The Spider's secret identity, the villainous Doc seems immune from police prosecution, but not from web of The Spider! These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. Double Novel Reprint $14.95
 
The Knight of Darkness returns in three historic novels that gave birth to Batman. First, a powerful new underworld kingpin crosses swords with The Shadow in "Lingo", one of Walter Gibson's all-time masterpieces, which introduces The Shadow's customized boomerang that inspired the Batarang. Then, in "Partners of Peril", Theodore Tinsley's startlingly bat-haunted tale reprinted here for the first time, Lamont Cranston investigates chemical syndicate murders in the crime thriller that served as the model for Batman's debut adventure in Detective Comics #27. This extra-length volume also reprints Tinsley's "The Grim Joker", a 1936 tale featuring a clown-faced crime boss called The Joker. Popular culture historian Will Murray documents the Shadowy origins of Batman, while series editor Anthony Tollin chronicles how "Partners of Peril" was adapted as the first Batman story. This classic pulp collection also features George Rozen's arresting pulp covers and all the original interior art by acclaimed illustrator Tom Lovell - including a lost double-page "Partners of Peril" spread. Double Novel Reprint $12.95
 
Pulp fiction's legendary Man of Bronze returns in two of his most engrossing adventures. In "The Majii", a living dead man lures Doc Savage into an Aladdin's cavern of horror. Then, "The Golden Man" tests the scientific wizardry of the Man of Bronze, exposing deep secrets of Doc Savage's strange origins. These classic pulp thrillers are reproduced with the original color pulp covers by Walter Baumhofer and Emery Clarke, interior illustrations by Paul Orban, and articles by pulp historian Will Murray. Double Novel Reprint $12.95
 
The Knight of Darkness battles saboteurs and Fifth Columnists in two classic prewar tales of espionage by Walter B. Gibson and Theodore Tinsley writing as "Maxwell Grant." First, The Shadow teams with Myra Reldon and the real Lamont Cranston to defeat Velma Thane and her international "Spy Ring." Then, America's future hangs in the balance as Nazi saboteurs of "The White Column" attempt to cripple our nation's military defenses! BONUS: a Shadow espionage thriller from the Golden Age of Radio PLUS a classic adventure of Sheridan Doome, Naval Investigator by Steve Fisher writing as "Stephen Gould." This deluxe pulp reprint showcases the original color pulp covers by Graves Gladney, the classic interior illustrations by Edd Cartier and Earl Mayan and historical commentary by Will Murray. Double Novel Reprint $14.95

The pulp era's legendary superman returns in exotic pulp thrillers by Laurence Donovan and Lester Dent writing as "Kenneth Robeson." First, the capture of Renny by African warriors of the mysterious Shimba propels Doc and Patricia Savage on a daring rescue mission to "The Land of Long JuJu." Then, in "Se-Pah-Poo," the bizarre murder of an archeologist in Arizona and a withered hand lead the Man of Bronze and his aides to an ancient lost city! BONUS: a two-fisted adventure of Cap Fury, The Skipper! This instant collector's item leads off with the classic 1937 color pulp cover by Robert G. Harris and also includes all the original interior illustrations by Paul Orban plus historical commentary by Will Murray, author of thirteen Doc Savage novels. Double Novel Reprint $14.95

The pulps' legendary "Man of Steel" returns in three action-packed pulp thrillers by Paul Ernst and Emile Tepperman writing as "Kenneth Robeson." First, Justice, Inc. must unmask a serial murderer before "The Wilder Curse" claims further innocent victims. Then, a deadly plane crash sets Dick Benson on the trail of the incredible new .. invention behind "Midnight Murder." PLUS "To Kill a Dead Man," the final Avenger thriller from the back pages of The Shadow Magazine by Spider-scribe Emile Tepperman! This classic pulp reprint showcases the classic color pulp covers by Lenosci and A. Leslie Ross, Paul Orban's interior illustrations and commentary by pulp historian Will Murray. Double Novel Reprint $14.95

The double life of Police Commissioner James Gordon is explored in a pair of two-fisted thrillers that inspired classic Batman stories! First, The Whisperer goes undercover to close down a “School for Murder” that prepares teenagers for criminal careers! Then, Wildcat Gordon investigates corruption in the trucking industry in“Murder on the Line.” BONUS: an adventure of Norgil the Magician by The Shadow’s Maxwell Grant! This historic collector’s item showcases both original color pulp covers by Spider artist John Newton Howitt, classic interior illustrations by Paul Orban and golden-age great Creig Flessel, and historical commentary by Will Murray and Anthony Tollin. Double Novel Reprint $14.95

This is an authentic replica of an original pulp magazine published by Girasol Collectables. This edition is designed to give the reader an authentic taste of what a typical pulp magazine was like when it was first issued - but without the frailty or expense of trying to find a decades-old collectable to enjoy. The outer covers, the interior pages, and the advertisements are reprinted just as they appeared in the original magazine, left intact to give the reader the true feel of the original as well as an appreciation for the way in which these publications were first offered to their avid readers. To further enhance the “pulp experience”, this edition is printed on off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look while, at the same time, assuring that this edition will last far longer than the original upon which it is based. The overall construction and appearance of this reprint is designed to be as faithful to the original magazine as is reasonably possible, given the unavoidable changes in production methods and materials. Pulp Replica $35.00
 
 
 
 
Just downloaded the Spider eBooks #21-40 for the cost of a single Spider pulp forty years ago. Excellent.
 
Phil Brantingham writes:
Every Old Time Radio fan owes Radio Archives sincere thanks for the work you are doing. I'm glad also that the programs are on CD and packaged beautifully.
 
James Lewis writes:
You did a stellar job cleaning up the surface noise on the "Inner Sanctum" discs
 
If you'd like to share a comment with us or if you have a question or a suggestion send an email to Service@RadioArchives.com. We'd love to hear from you!
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Saturday, September 28, 2013

Calvin's Beanie Cap


Calvin's Beanie Cap

            As we reach our so-called Golden Years, some of the simplest things can often bring back memories of our childhood; perhaps our inner child is just waiting beneath the cloudiness of our minds to come forth again, to relive a past still grieved for. The glory days of our youth.
            I experienced such a phenomenon a few years ago while reading the current story line of my favorite comic strip by Bill Watterson. For those that may not be familiar with Calvin And Hobbs, it was about a young boy and his imaginary friend, a stuffed tiger. Every mother would have recognized something in Calvin that reminded them of their own son, or perhaps a daughter. For the comic strip boy was a little of all of us.
            In this particular story line, Calvin has found an ad on the back of a comic book for a beanie cap, one of those ball caps with a propeller on top that would whirl in the wind as he ran. He sends off for this special cap, and now must wait for several weeks for it to come in. The story follows Calvin for the next several weeks, as he anxiously thinks about this special toy he has ordered.
            Whether Watterson intended it or not, the strip jarred a lot of memories. I know it did mine. I was ten years old again, and living across from the Memorial Auditorium in Wichita Falls. My older sister had just married, and her husband got me a job as pin boy at a Bowling Alley. Back then, they used small boys to set up the pins between the bowlers' turns because we were fast and could easily get into the pit. If I remember correctly, a little light would flash when our lane was to be set up, and we would drop into the pit, set the pins in place, then get out again before the next ball was thrown. At least that was the way it was supposed to happen. I worked as pin boy for a several weeks, until one night a drunk clobbered me with a bowling ball while I was still setting up pins. After tangling with that bowling ball, I quit. Remember, I was only ten years old. If that happened today, parents would be millionaires after the lawsuit.
Back then I was probably paid twenty-five cents a night. Or at the most, fifty cents a night. But it gave me some spending money. And this is where my beanie cap comes in. Well, it wasn't really a beanie cap, but the principle is the same. At the time, my favorite radio drama was a program called Straight Arrow, about a white cowboy in the West that dressed up like an Indian to fight outlaws. When Straight Arrow was needed, the cowboy would head off to a cave, where his Indian pony and outfit were hidden. When he rode out of the cave, he was no longer the white man, but an Indian. Remember the Lone Ranger always used silver bullets? Well, our Indian hero used arrows with golden tips!
Our main family entertainment at the time was radio. I remember listening to such great programs as Bobby Benson and The B-Bar-B, The Shadow, Lineup, Gunsmoke, and so many others. There was also a Straight Arrow (or was it Golden Arrow?) comic book, and one day I found an ad on the back of an issue; for twenty-five cents and fifty Popsicle wrappers, I could have my very own Straight Arrow bracelet with a hidden compartment! I asked all my friends to save their Popsicle wrappers for me, and when I had enough, I mailed them off with a quarter. For the next few weeks, I anxiously awaited my golden bracelet with the hidden compartment.
My excitement rivaled that of Calvin's when the package finally arrived, and I tore open the wrapping to find the cheap gold colored bracelet inside, and opened the secret compartment to find - a golden arrowhead! Well, it too was a cheap toy, but I was thrilled. I wore the bracelet until it was lost or stolen by another boy. Like Calvin, it probably didn't last me more than a couple of weeks.

I would fall for these gimmicks two more times. When my parents lost the small trailer house, we moved to Broad Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets, a half block from San Jacinto School, and behind the Boys Club. I was now eleven years old, and my remaining sister married and moved away, leaving me the only child left at home. Plus, I now had a room to myself, and a friend gave me a little plastic radio to listen to the many programs for entertainment. My next experience with mail order came when I found an ad on back of another comic book for walkie-talkies. My buddies and I were using tin cans with a string tied between them to talk to each other. But the picture on the comic book made these items look like the real things. So off goes my twenty-five cents. Sadly, a few weeks later, I received two tiny, plastic toys that were supposed to be walkie-talkies - attached to a thin string!
I should have learned my lesson with the second order, but youth is forever optimistic, and once again I was bitten by an ad on the back of a comic book. This time, no kid in their right mind could pass up this opportunity! For twenty-five cents, I could send off for a miniature spaceport that glowed in the dark. Oh, be still beating heart. The whole back cover of that comic book was devoted to the spaceport, and all the pieces I was going to get for my quarter. It didn't take me but a minute to fill out the order form and put it in an envelope. Oh, I waited and watched for the mail every day, until it finally came. But the package was so tiny, how could the spaceport fit in such a small box? Tearing into the wrapper, I found the little box with miniature objects that passed for rocket ships and launchers, and all the other stuff that a spaceport needed. I was heartbroken, but there was still hope. Tonight, with darkness, I could turn my lights out, shut the door, and surely the spaceport would light up my room, and I could see those tiny rocket ships. That night, the disappointment was complete when the spaceport barely made as much light as the hands and numbers on a wristwatch.
  That was the last time I ever ordered something from the back of a comic book. But I shouldn't be too critical. The items offered on the back of comic books were either for a dime or twenty-five cents. If I had kept those little toys, they would be worth hundreds of dollars now. Antique dealers and collectors sell these items for lots of money today. Even the comic books I ordered them from are worth a small fortune! Today I still listen to old time radio. Here is my favorite Internet station http://www.theiotrs.com The programs are repeated three times a day, so I can pick the time to listen to my favorites.
Calvin, like Peter Pan, will never grow old. And as a little boy I never wanted to grow up. When I look back on the days of my youth, the little boy within me smiles, and I wonder if I ever did …
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Friday, September 27, 2013

Radio Archives


 
 
September 27, 2013
 
It's the 80th Anniversary of G-8, The Spider and Dime Mystery magazines!
Over the next four newsletters, Radio Archives will roll out an uninterrupted stream of exciting products spotlighting the works of pulp superstars Robert J. Hogan, R. T. M. Scott and Norvell W. Page. Here’s Will Murray to tell you more:
“In the Autumn of 1933, Popular Publications took the pulp universe by storm when they released in rapid succession, G-8 and His Battle Aces, The Spider, and the first of the weird menace pulps, Dime Mystery magazine. For the 80th anniversary of these historic debuts, we're releasing some of the earliest and most exciting issues of these fabulous titles. You'll thrill to the continued exploits of G-8, as well as the electrifying debuts of The Spider and Dime Mystery magazine. These thrilling titles come to life in affordable audiobooks, along with companion eBooks. You'll enjoy them all. I guarantee it.”
 
Today we are excited to announce that The Spider audiobooks are now being released MONTHLY! We have built Nick Santa Maria a recording studio and all the adventures of The Spider are coming to life. You will be able to hear all your favorite Spider stories in the comfort of your home or car. Very exciting news for The Spider  fans.
 
 

“Crime does not pay...”

Those four simple words sum up the basic philosophy behind "Calling All Cars", a popular crime drama heard over CBS Pacific Network stations from November 29, 1933 to September 8, 1939. In these dramatizations, the point was driven home time and time again that a life of a crime was a life wasted -- and anyone venturing off the straight-and-narrow was fated to meet a sad and sorry end. 
 
During the Great Depression, some might have argued that it DID pay - and pay very well, too. After the 1929 stock market crash, bank failures, Midwestern crop disasters, and mass unemployment became a daunting part of everyday life, resulting in the rise of the bank robber and gangster as folk hero rather than criminal threat. It would take the election of Franklin Roosevelt and the appointment of such charismatic crime fighters as Melvin Purvis, J. Edgar Hoover, and Elliott Ness to finally turn the tide against the criminal element, turning lawmen into heroes and, eventually, the common man against the criminal element.
 
In the 1930s, radio played a part in stemming the tide against crime - and never more so than in "Calling All Cars", one of the earliest and most influential police procedural shows. Dramatizing true crime exploits and introduced by real-life law enforcement officials, "Calling All Cars" offered the gritty details of criminal activity in true "ripped from the headlines" style. Led by writer/director William N. Robson, the weekly series gave listeners the audio equivalent of a tough, down in the streets Warner Brothers crime drama, complete with car chases, low-life gunsels, high-crime bosses, frightened victims, and criminal cases that often hit very close to home. Kidnappings, petty thefts, murders, prison breaks, bunco schemes...all were raw materials for the creators of each show and details of all these crimes and more were used as the basis for the realistic dramas presented.
 
The influence of "Calling All Cars" extended far beyond its six-year run, acting as a blueprint for such later-day radio series as "Dragnet" and "This is Your FBI". And, although this eighty-year-old series may seem a bit primitive to modern-day audiences, listening to the programs today instantly brings to mind such timeless movie classics as "The Public Enemy", "Little Caesar", and "Scarface".

For its entire run, "Calling All Cars" was sponsored by the Rio Grande Oil Company and their patented brand of "cracked" gasoline. Luckily, thanks to the limited and expensive network lines of the 1930s, recordings of all of the programs were made for redistribution to the Southwestern states. This is marvelous news for radio buffs, since it means that almost the entire run of "Calling All Cars" still exists for us to enjoy today.
 
We're proud to offer "Calling All Cars, Volume 6", a ten hour set which, like our other collections, has been professionally restored and transferred directly from the original transcription recordings for impressive audio fidelity. These rare and exiting shows are sure to occupy a special place in your personal library. 10 hours $29.98 Audio CDs / $14.99 Download.

 
Special 50% discount Offer
The world's most famous fictional detective debuted in the pages of the 1887 Beeton's Christmas Annual, and soon came to embody of the intellectual ideals of the Victorian Era. However, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Great Detective owes a great deal of his continued popularity to American radio. All but one of Conan Doyle's canonical stories were out of print when the author died on July 7, 1930, but the popularity of the American radio broadcasts quickly led to the reprinting of Doyle's original stories.
 
The stately Holmes of England was first brought to the airwaves on October 30, 1930 by Edith Meiser, a Broadway actress-turned-radio director who lobbied for years to bring the Great Detective's adventures to radio. "Sherlock is perfect air material," she proclaimed in 1936. "There are not too many clues. Holmes, you know, was the first deduction artist. Doyle, a scientist at heart, believed in mental, rather than physical action. Therefore Sherlock has excellent radio pace. It's uncanny how smoothly it works out for radio adaptation."
 
After several seasons as a Hollywood-based series, Holmes returned to the airwaves September 28, 1947 in a New York-based production with John Stanley starring as the Great Detective. Although his Holmesian tones were almost identical to the legendary Basil Rathbone's, Stanley was a far more-polished radio performer and his portrayal of Holmes was among the finest in history of the long-running series. Stanley had been born and raised in London, less than half a mile from Baker Street, and had relocated to the United States after two years on the London stage. "My father had told me so much about his native New England that I decided I just had to see it," he explained in 1947. A devoted fan of Conan Doyle's stories, John Stanley attended several gatherings of the Baker Street Irregulars and even authored a monograph on the handguns used by Holmes and Watson that appeared in the July 1948 issue of Black Mask.
 
Note: This 10 hour Nostalgia Ventures radio collection has never been available as a Digital Download before today. Regular Price $29.98 - Specially priced until October 10 for $14.99 Audio CDs / $7.49 Download.
 
 
80th Anniversary of The Spider
Will Murray's Pulp Classics #34
by R. T. M. Scott
Read by Nick Santa Maria. Liner Notes by Will Murray
 
 
Eighty years ago in the summer of 1933, Popular Publications President Harry Steeger and his executive editor, Rogers Terrill, decided to enter the new field of magazines built around a single hero. They enlisted popular aviation hero Robert J. Hogan to help conceive G-8 and his Battle Aces, which debuted late in August.
 
But they also wanted to publish a crimebuster to rival a famous pulp juggernaut.  Steeger frankly admitted in later years, “The reason we started the title The Spider was because of the success of Street & Smith’s The Shadow. At this point in pulp history individual titles became very popular, so we decided to try out a few ourselves.”
 
The story of how The Spider came to be is covered in cobwebs. Even Steeger wasn't certain of all the details. He did recall that he was playing tennis when inspiration struck. A solitary spider crossing the court gave him the name of his new hero.
 
The author chosen to pen the first Spider tale was a famous mystery and suspense novelist whose preferred byline was R. T. M. Scott. More than a dozen years before, Scott became famous for his stories and novels featuring Secret Service Smith, a government agent who later became a consulting detective for hire. Aurelius Smith was assisted by his Hindu aide, Langa Doonh, and girlfriend Bernice Asterly.
 
It's clear that Scott modeled this new hero for the Depression generation after his previous protagonist. While Richard Wentworth did not have a government connection––other than to have served with distinction in the First World War––Scott gave him a Hindu aide named Ram Singh. Fiancee Nita van Sloan provided the distaff ally.
 
All of that came under the heading of autobiography. The Canadian-born Scott worked in India prior to World War I, subsequently serving with the 21st Canadian Expeditionary Force with the rank of captain. Coming to New York after the Armistice, he became a successful writer.
 
Beyond personal experience, Scott remade his heroic ideal into a hardboiled hunter of criminals, one who occasionally wore a mask, and invariably imprinted the cold corpses of his enemies with the seal of The Spider, but who was otherwise a faceless phantom.
 
The big mystery of the origins of The Spider magazine is that they were not one, but two, writers named R. T. M. Scott. The first was the father to the second. Reginald Thomas Maitland Scott was one of the most famous writers of the 1920s. His son, Robert Thomas Maitland Scott, was new to the writing world. In fact, the younger Scott worked on the staff of Popular Publications during the 1930s, and periodically contributed to their magazines under the pen name Maitland Scott. One Maitland Scott story published in Terror Tales featured a sinister character named Ram Singh, further confusing the issue.
 
Some critics have thought they detected a different style in the second Spider novel, The Wheel of Death, and have posited that the father wrote The Spider Strikes, while the son penned the sequel. Whichever the truth may be, this is a rare instance in which we know the correct byline of an author, but cannot be certain about his true identity.
 
Be that as it may, The Spider Strikes establishes the essentials of this exciting series. Richard Wentworth is reckless, cold-blooded, and perfectly willing to play a dangerous game between the law who seeks his capture and the enemies of the law he is sworn to track down. While his motivations are unclear, his single-minded determination is without question. He is a hunter of criminals, and in his debut novel he becomes a hunter of supercriminals in the form of the mysterious Mr. X.
 
As Spider fans know, the amazing Norvell W. Page replaced R. T. M. Scott with the third Spider story. And it is Page who is considered the ultimate Spider author. Scott has a flair all his own, and his indelible portrayal of the Master of Men who is both millionaire Richard Wentworth and the dreaded  Spider remained unchanged, but was much more deeply explored under Page’s able but fevered pen.
 
So go now with Richard Wentworth, alias The Spider, as he tackles his first great case and comes face-to-face with the diabolical Mr. X.
 
This audiobook also features short stories by Leslie T. White, who for many years would write The Web column in The Spider magazine, and a rare early tale by Norvell Page, who would dominate this magazine over the next decade. As always, Nick Santa Maria brings the action to electrifying life. This is how The Spider began. 6 hours $23.98 Audio CDs / $11.99 Download.
 
 
 
RadioArchives.com and Will Murray are giving away the downloadable version of the newly released Strange Detective Mysteries audiobook for FREE.
 
If you prefer the Audio CDs to play in your car or home CD player, the coupon code will subtract the $11.99 price of the download version from the Audio CDs. That makes the Audio CDs half price.
 
Add Strange Detective Mysteries to the shopping cart and use the Coupon Code AUDIOBOOK.
 
“Strange Detective Mysteries #1 is one of my favorite pulps and I am excited to produce it as an audiobook with my good friends at Radio Archives. It leads off with Norvell W. Page’s bizarre novelette, “When the Death-Bat Flies,” and includes thrilling stories by Norbert Davis, Paul Ernst, Arthur Leo Zagat, Wayne Rogers and others. Popular Publications went all-out to make this 1937 debut issue a winner. And they succeeded!”
 
Happy listening,
Will Murray
 
 
80th Anniversary of The Spider, G-8 and His Battle Aces, and Dime Mystery Magazine
 
New Will Murray's Pulp Classics eBooks
 
The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge eBooks! Will Murray's Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your eReader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and G-8 and His Battle Aces as well as wonderfully obscure characters like the Octopus and Captain Satan. Will Murray's Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday's Pulp today!
 
An unseen weapon that drives men mad... A green gas which turns smiling faces into leering skulls... A master criminal who can assume at will any known identity... Add to these separate menaces three big-game hunters sworn to destroy the Spider — and you have a situation in which the brilliance and courage of Dick Wentworth will thrill-you as never before! Total Pulp Experience. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine. $2.99.

 
“Purple aces — purple faces! Coming to kill you at dawn!” A dying Yank gasped these words. As he did so he pointed to his own forehead where, emblazoned on the skin, was a small purple ace of spades! What was this dread emblem? Who were the suicide pilots that fought like fiends under the Order of the Purple Ace? The Allies wait in terror while G-8 and his sky pals take up a fighting trail against this mystery staffel of death! G-8 and his Battle Aces rode the nostalgia boom ten years after World War I ended. These high-flying exploits were tall tales of a World War that might have been, featuring monster bats, German zombies, wolf-men, harpies, Martians, and even tentacled floating monsters. Most of these monstrosities were the work of Germany’s seemingly endless supply of mad scientists, chief of whom was G-8’s recurring Nemesis, Herr Doktor Krueger. G-8 battled Germany’s Halloween shock troops for over a decade, not ceasing until the magazine folded in the middle of World War II. G-8 and his Battle Aces return in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 
“To all Mankind: Amen Sikh, mad Egyptian scientist, controls the ancient white plague... He is working against the Allies. Plague is to be spread on legs of L...” As G-8 read this unfinished message, he grew chill with terror. Already Yanks were dying by the thousands of a strange disease no one had been able to diagnose — The Plague! Death stalks the world as three Yanks seek to curb its phantom wings! G-8 and his Battle Aces rode the nostalgia boom ten years after World War I ended. These high-flying exploits were tall tales of a World War that might have been, featuring monster bats, German zombies, wolf-men, harpies, Martians, and even tentacled floating monsters. Most of these monstrosities were the work of Germany’s seemingly endless supply of mad scientists, chief of whom was G-8’s recurring Nemesis, Herr Doktor Krueger. G-8 battled Germany’s Halloween shock troops for over a decade, not ceasing until the magazine folded in the middle of World War II. G-8 and his Battle Aces return in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 
In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a collection of stories from the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, all written by Paul Ernst, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.
 
99 cent eBook Singles
Each 99 cent eBook Single contains a single short story, one of the many amazing tales selected from the pages of Terror Tales and Rangeland Romances. These short stories are not included in any of our other eBooks.
 
They were a friendly group of carefree, interesting people — till the laughing madness called them, one by one! In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
The face of that little dead child came back to haunt Sally Hathaway’s dreams — and to terrorize Nick, her husband, with the ghastly knowledge that soon the mad collector of unborn babies would be seeking the new life hidden in Sally’s lovely body! In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
Deep in the strange, macabre darkness of the Maine woods, young Dr. David Kirkland and his fiancée fought a power more ghastly than the epidemic of hydrophobia they had undertaken to wipe out — the unearthly power of the beautiful Nedra Lee, whose pack of soulless, ravening beast-men tore at the flesh of those who dared deny her every whim!... In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
Greed and avarice made me defy the warning uttered by the sinister Dr. Kwang-Lee. For, to recover those priceless jewels I was willing to enter that secret charnel house where ancient lusts were resurrected, and the blood of my body was to be quaffed by the Goddess of Terror herself! In 1934 a new type of magazine was born. Known by various names — the shudder pulps, mystery-terror magazines, horror-terror magazines — weird menace is the sub-genre term that has survived today. Dime Mystery Magazine was one of the most popular. It came from Popular Publications, whose publisher Harry Steeger was inspired by the Grand Guignol theater of Paris. This breed of pulp story survived less than ten years, but in that time, they became infamous, even to this day. This ebook contains a classic story the pages of Dime Mystery Magazine, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $0.99.
 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray's Pulp Classics, now available at:
 
 
Search for RadioArchives.com in iTunes.
 
 
 
80th Anniversary of The Spider
 
Receive an exciting original Spider adventure FREE! Part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line, The Spider #11, Prince of the Red Looters first saw print in 1934 and features his momentous battle with The Fly and his armies of crazed criminal killers.
 
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps, this is a perfect chance to give one of these fantastic yarns a real test run. With a full introduction to the Spider written by famed pulp historian and author Will Murray, The Spider #11 was written by one of pulp's most respected authors, Norvell W. Page. Writing as Grant Stockbridge, Page's stories included some of the most bizarre and fun takes on heroes and crime fighting in the history of escapist fiction.
 
Even today Page's scenarios and his edge-of-the-seat writing style are still thrilling both new and old fans everywhere. For those who have never read one of these rollercoaster adventures, you are in for a thrill. If you already know how much fun a classic pulp is, make sure you get a copy of this classic.
 
See what the Total Pulp Experience is for yourself. These exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook and features every story, every editorial, and every column of the original pulp magazine.
 
Send an eMail to eBooks@RadioArchives.com and start reading your FREE copy of the Spider #11 within seconds! Experience The Best Pulps the Past has to offer in the most modern way possible!
 
 
 
80th Anniversary of The Spider
The Master of Men blasts his way into Adventure once again in these two action packed tales of The Spider! First, The Spider squares off with The Corpse Broker (1939)! This terrifying tale reveals The Master of the Green Death! For A ten percent commission on murder, this Dealer in Evil guarantees immunity from police prosecution, and any officer that dares to challenge him, dies! With New York in the clutches of this deadly criminal mastermind, the Spider sets out to stop wholesale murder that turns the dead green! Next, The Spider marches against the Volunteer Corpse Brigade (1941)! Deadly plague-germs are used against the nation as Smiler Miordan issues the statement that 'Might is Right!' crushing all who oppose him. Himself affected by the virus, Richard Wentworth, alias the Spider, rallies a band of patriotic lepers to stem the tide of murder set in motion by the criminal Underworld Union! These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. On sale for $12.95, save $2.00
 
 
The Knight of Darkness battles foreign threats to America in two classic pulp thrillers by Walter B. Gibson writing as "Maxwell Grant." First, with his alter ego compromised, The Shadow rises from the deep Pacific to confront Japanese agents and retrieve the U.S. Navy's prototype Z-boat, a submersible "Death Ship" that could tip the balance in the future war. Then, at the height of World War II, The Shadow and distaff aide Myra Reldon combat the treacherous plots of "The Black Dragon" and his sinister secret society. BONUS: "The Man with The Shadow's Face!" This instant collector's item reprints Graves Gladney's and Modest Stein's first Shadow covers in color plus the original interior illustrations by Edd Cartier and Paul Orban, with commentary by Will Murray. $14.95.
 
 
The Pulp Era's greatest superman returns in two action-packed pulp novels by Harold Davis and Lester Dent writing as "Kenneth Robeson." First, a series of corpses bearing the bloody sign of "The Crimson Serpent" sets Doc Savage on a trail to an ancient castle, modern-day conquistadors and the Fountain of Youth! Then, the Man of Bronze and his Iron Men journey to South America to investigate the bizarre mystery of "The Exploding Lake" vaporized in a nuclear inferno. This double-novel collector's special leads off with a thrill-packed color cover by Emery Clarke, and features Paul Orban's original interior illustrations, historical commentary by Will Murray and a biographical profile of Golden Age Doc Savage Comics artist Elmer Stoner. $14.95.
 
80th Anniversary of The Spider
This is an authentic replica of an original pulp magazine published by Girasol Collectables. This edition is designed to give the reader an authentic taste of what a typical pulp magazine was like when it was first issued - but without the frailty or expense of trying to find a decades-old collectable to enjoy. The outer covers, the interior pages, and the advertisements are reprinted just as they appeared in the original magazine, left intact to give the reader the true feel of the original as well as an appreciation for the way in which these publications were first offered to their avid readers. To further enhance the “pulp experience”, this edition is printed on off-white bond paper intended to simulate the original look while, at the same time, assuring that this edition will last far longer than the original upon which it is based. The overall construction and appearance of this reprint is designed to be as faithful to the original magazine as is reasonably possible, given the unavoidable changes in production methods and materials. $35.00.
 
by Will Murray and Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson
 
When out of work magician Gulliver Greene stumbles upon a man who claims to be Christopher Columbus, still alive in 1937, it’s only the start of the most complex plot ever to involve the incredible Doc Savage.
Called to the sleepy farm town of La Plata, Missouri, the Man of Bronze plunges into the enigma of the vanishing Victorian house. Is it haunted? Is it even real? Can Doc solve the mystery—or will he be sucked into the unknown vortex into which it disappears?
From his supersecret Crime College to a sinister island in the Great Lakes, Doc Savage and his brilliant team race to untangle the most baffling webwork of Halloween horrors ever encountered. For many weird mysteries beyond human ken converge in the Missouri wilderness in this, the wildest Doc Savage adventure yet! $24.95.
 
by Will Murray
 
The Writers of the Purple Wage have long since taken the last trail into dusty memory. But, now, they live again––to retell tall tales of those distant days when they helped forge the fabled West of American Imagination.
 
They’re all here!
*The Popular hacks!
*The Spicy bestsellers!
*The Thrilling myths!
 
Those amazing million-words-a-year men!
True Westerners born on the Range!
Broadway cowboys never West of Hoboken!
 
Join Max Brand, Luke Short, Johnston McCulley, Ernest Haycox, Walt Coburn, Frank Gruber, Ryerson Johnson, & a hard-working, fast-drawing posse of freelance fictioneers!
 
And those two-fisted foremen of New York’s fiction factories–magazine editors Frank Blackwell, Rogers Terrill, Leo Margulies, Robert Lowndes & Fanny Ellsworth!
 
Together, in their own words, these veteran pulpsters & others offer startling inside stories of how they created the mythology of the Golden West!
 
*Blazing action! Savage characterization! Real emotion!
 
Ride with the Old West’s top gunhands, greatest pulpsmiths & legendary brands. From Buffalo Bill, Deadwood Dick & Hopalong Cassidy to Gunsmoke & Louis L’Amour, this is their saga.
 
Armed with forgotten interviews, controversial essays & candid letters first not seen in generations, acclaimed pulp historian Will Murray, author of The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage, reveals the epic life & frequent deaths of the Pulp West! 469 pages, approx. 6"x9" $29.98
 
 
80th Anniversary of The Spider
Review of The Spider Strikes
By Andrew Salmon
 
 
R. T. M Scott's The Spider Strikes introduces us to Richard Wentworth, Nita Van Sloan and Ram Singh in this debut outing. Well, sort of. Long time Spider fans know what I'm talking about but for you newcomers picking up a Spider tale for the very first time, hold on to your hats!
 
The tale begins simply enough with Wentworth at sea, coming back from the hunt for Mr. X which had taken him to Europe. X is a notorious murderer/thief along the lines of Professor Moriarty. Wentworth is a millionaire adventurer who helps the police in cases such as the search for X. Few know that Wentworth's alter ego is The Spider but there are suspicions in the police force and this leads to some close calls for our hero — especially after there is murder aboard the ship he's on and the dead man bears the mark of The Spider! Upon returning to New York, Wentworth and Mr. X play a captivating cat and mouse game that will keep you turning pages.
 
The Spider Strikes is a fun, pulpy read but one that could easily be dismissed as not being a real Spider novel. Let's face it, the character did not come into his own until Norvell Page took over the writing duties with the third novel. Wentworth here is a gentleman investigator working with the police (while they hunt The Spider) seemingly more for the love of adventure as much as a desire to do the right thing. He wears no costume — except at one point where a prototypical version of the later Spider garb makes an appearance — and the body count is low by Spider standards. Of course, in reality, we know that the novels were written by different writers who brought their own particular strengths to the tales but that does not mean that The Spider Strikes should be discounted.
 
Rather, it is essential reading! Sure, it's tame by Page standards but that actually emphasizes what is to come. Wentworth, in this novel, comes across as devil-may-care, working on the side of justice because it gives him something to do while he and Nita bide their time before getting hitched and living happily ever after. Leap ahead to the Page stories and we see The Spider as a tormented madman, thirsting to punish wrongdoers with a maniacal intent unmatched in pulp. A crusade which forever keeps him apart from Nita and the life together they both so desperately crave.
 
What happened?
 
It's the answer to that question that fuses the juxtaposed versions of The Spider passed down to today's readers. Reading The Spider Strikes is to step into the life of Richard Wentworth and company before the bomb went off and the Spider went off the rails. It's a great read on its own merits as Wentworth and Mr. X trade barbs and plans. However, reading it within the context of what lies in store for Wentworth makes it all the more enjoyable. What is essentially a clever, fast-paced crime tale typical of the period in which it was written becomes a tragic ticking clock experience as, soon, the Spider will "lose it" in a series of ever more intensifying, blood-soaked reads that should be part of any pulp fan's collection. The Spider Strikes shows us part of Wentworth's last hours of sanity and leads us to ponder what exactly was the deciding moment that pushed him over the edge.
 
Read in that context The Spider Strikes is all the more fun to dive into. On this the 80th anniversary of the character, there's no better place to start. Don't miss it.
 
eBook #RE001 $2.99 / Double Novel reprint #9 #5509 $14.95 On sale for $12.95, save $2.00 / Audiobook Audio CDs $23.98 / Audiobook Download $11.99
 
 
Comments From Our Customers!
 
Andrew Mara writes:
Downloads are really a convenient method of getting Old Time Radio Programs and I appreciate how much work must have gone into the restoration of these broadcasts. I've ordered quite a few of your downloads. The quality of the audio is terrific.
 
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