Masks, #1

[CBR News]

The crossover you've been waiting for! Before superheroes, there were Masks!

The Shadow, the Green Hornet, Kato, the Spider and more in a story that only Dynamite could tell! For the first time EVER, these masked vigilantes are joining together in one EPIC series! It's 1938, and the Justice Party has swept into office in New York State. But the newly-elected officials are in the control of powerful criminals, who quickly corrupt the law to their own advantage. When a fascist police state is instituted, the only ones who stand in defense of the innocent are masked vigilantes like the Shadow, the Green Hornet, Kato, and the Spider. As the confrontation builds, more masked heroes will join the fight including Black Bat, Miss Fury, Black Terror, Green Lama and many more! When the law is unjust, justice must be an outlaw!


Full article here.

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

Dynamite's pulp books have been hit or miss, but this story is an adaption of an actual 1938 pulp novel, with other heroes thrown into the mix. http://www.fighttheempirestate.com/ is the original book from 1938, back in print. The full 400+ page book is about $17 from Amazon, if anyone wants to read the original version.

[SilverZeal]

Gd 2 c Kato & Zorro in d mix but who r Miss Fury, Black Bat & Green Lama?

[emb021]

Dynamite's pulp books have been hit or miss, but this story is an adaption of an actual 1938 pulp novel, with other heroes thrown into the mix. http://www.fighttheempirestate.com/ is the original book from 1938, back in print. The full 400+ page book is about $17 from Amazon, if anyone wants to read the original version.

"Original book"???

Not quite.

This is a reprint of 3 Spider novels, known as the "Black Police Trilogy":

#60 The City That Paid to Die 09/01/38
#61 The Spider At Bay 10/01/38
#62 Scourge of the Black Legions 11/01/38

Continuing story-lines in the pulps were very very rare, but did happen in a few of the Popular Publications series. Dusty Ayres and his Battle Birds lasted for 12 issues that told of the world conquered and America as a lone hold out until they defeated "Fire Eyes". Operator #5 had the classic "Purple Empire" series that lasted 13 issues of the US invaded and nearly conquered by the "Purple Empire" based in Europe, and even when the series was over the US still had to rebuild. Toward the end of Operator #5 they started another invasion series with the US invaded by the asian "Yellow Vulture". 4 stories were published before Operator #5 ended with the storyline unresolved.

[emb021]

Gd 2 c Kato & Zorro in d mix but who r Miss Fury, Black Bat & Green Lama?

These are classic comic strip and pulp characters.

Miss Fury was created by Tarpe Mills, one of the few female comic strip creators. IDW has done a reprint volume of strips. http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Fury-Tarp...ords=miss+fury

Black Bat was a classic pulp character published by Thrilling from 1939 to 53 (one of the few to last into the 50s). He was really a former DA, who was blinded when a criminal threw acid in his face. But actually, due to a secret surgery, his eyes were replaced by the eyes of a slain Sheriff, which not only restored his sight, but gave him the ability to see in the dark. So he kept the fact that he could now see, and fought crime as the Black Bat, with a black outfit with a batwing cap, aided by 2 reformed criminals and the daughter of the slain Sheriff.

Altus Press has published a companion volume on the series and is doing a reprint of the original stories. Because his PD, many have written new stories with him. Airship 27 has done 2 volumes of new stories.

Black Bat Companion: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bat-Comp...ords=black+bat
Black Bat Omnibus v1: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bat-Omni...ords=black+bat
Black Bat Mystery: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bat-Myst...ords=black+bat
Black Bat Mystery v2: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bat-Myst...ords=black+bat

Green Lama was an interesting character created by Richard Foster, who surprisingly, was able to retain ownership of the Green Lama. This allowed him to publish Green Lama comic book stories with Prize and his own Spark Comics; do a radio show, and more. Despite what some think, he is NOT in the public domain, and the new stories from Airship 27 were done with permission of the estate, and Altus Press has done a 3 volume reprint series of the original stories. Dark Horse did an archive reprint of the Spark Comic series in 2 volumes.

the Green Lama is American Jethro Dumont, who studies in a lamasery in Tibet and became a lama. Now in the America, he uses what he learned to fight crime as The Green Lama.

Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 1: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama
Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 2: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama
Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 3: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama

Green Lama v1: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Kev...rds=green+lama
Green Lama v2: Green Lama Unbound: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Ada...rds=green+lama

[SilverZeal]

These are classic comic strip and pulp characters.

Miss Fury was created by Tarpe Mills, one of the few female comic strip creators. IDW has done a reprint volume of strips. http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Fury-Tarp...ords=miss+fury

Black Bat was a classic pulp character published by Thrilling from 1939 to 53 (one of the few to last into the 50s). He was really a former DA, who was blinded when a criminal threw acid in his face. But actually, due to a secret surgery, his eyes were replaced by the eyes of a slain Sheriff, which not only restored his sight, but gave him the ability to see in the dark. So he kept the fact that he could now see, and fought crime as the Black Bat, with a black outfit with a batwing cap, aided by 2 reformed criminals and the daughter of the slain Sheriff.

Altus Press has published a companion volume on the series and is doing a reprint of the original stories. Because his PD, many have written new stories with him. Airship 27 has done 2 volumes of new stories.

Black Bat Companion: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bat-Comp...ords=black+bat
Black Bat Omnibus v1: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bat-Omni...ords=black+bat
Black Bat Mystery: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bat-Myst...ords=black+bat
Black Bat Mystery v2: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Bat-Myst...ords=black+bat

Green Lama was an interesting character created by Richard Foster, who surprisingly, was able to retain ownership of the Green Lama. This allowed him to publish Green Lama comic book stories with Prize and his own Spark Comics; do a radio show, and more. Despite what some think, he is NOT in the public domain, and the new stories from Airship 27 were done with permission of the estate, and Altus Press has done a 3 volume reprint series of the original stories. Dark Horse did an archive reprint of the Spark Comic series in 2 volumes.

the Green Lama is American Jethro Dumont, who studies in a lamasery in Tibet and became a lama. Now in the America, he uses what he learned to fight crime as The Green Lama.

Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 1: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama
Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 2: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama
Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 3: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama

Green Lama v1: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Kev...rds=green+lama
Green Lama v2: Green Lama Unbound: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Ada...rds=green+lama

Kool...thanx 4 dat.

By d way, other dan Kato(d Greenhornet sidekick...literally) & Zorro, were der any other non-white(native american, black, asian, arab, latino) american detective &/or pulp vigilante buks?

[emb021]

Kool...thanx 4 dat.

By d way, other dan Kato(d Greenhornet sidekick...literally) & Zorro, were der any other non-white(native american, black, asian, arab, latino) american detective &/or pulp vigilante buks?

None as major characters. But this was the norm for the 1930s, 40s, 50s.

There were a very few minor pulp heroes that were non-white. There is Senorita Scorpion and Johnston McCulley created Whiplash. Both characters have been reprinted by Altus Press.

A rare number of aides to the main characters were non-white.

With the Shadow you had Jericho Druke, a giant, immensely strong black man and Dr. Roy Tam, The Shadow's contact man in New York's Chinatown.

With the Avenger, one of his first aides, Algernon Heathcote "Smitty" Smith was originally planned to be black, but at the last minute, the editors changed this. Later aides Josh and Rosabel Newton (who joined after "The Sky Walker", the third novel) are an African American couple whose employers were killed by criminals. They often go undercover as domestic servants, making use of the stereotypes of the time to hide their investigative abilities. But both are graduates of the Tuskegee Institute, and are treated as full members of Justice, Inc, not second-class citizens.

The Green Lama was aided by Tibetan Tsarong, and the ethnicity of Magga, a mysterious women who helped him and was probably the equivalent of a Tibetan Nun, was never made clear.

Today, you have authors like Derrick Fergurson 'righting' this by creating original black New Pulp heroes like Dillion.

[SilverZeal]

None as major characters. But this was the norm for the 1930s, 40s, 50s.

There were a very few minor pulp heroes that were non-white. There is Senorita Scorpion and Johnston McCulley created Whiplash. Both characters have been reprinted by Altus Press.

A rare number of aides to the main characters were non-white.

With the Shadow you had Jericho Druke, a giant, immensely strong black man and Dr. Roy Tam, The Shadow's contact man in New York's Chinatown.

With the Avenger, one of his first aides, Algernon Heathcote "Smitty" Smith was originally planned to be black, but at the last minute, the editors changed this. Later aides Josh and Rosabel Newton (who joined after "The Sky Walker", the third novel) are an African American couple whose employers were killed by criminals. They often go undercover as domestic servants, making use of the stereotypes of the time to hide their investigative abilities. But both are graduates of the Tuskegee Institute, and are treated as full members of Justice, Inc, not second-class citizens.

The Green Lama was aided by Tibetan Tsarong, and the ethnicity of Magga, a mysterious women who helped him and was probably the equivalent of a Tibetan Nun, was never made clear.

Today, you have authors like Derrick Fergurson 'righting' this by creating original black New Pulp heroes like Dillion.

Wow...thanx 4 d gr8 & detaild insight.

Much respect 2 ur lightning sharp pupl history...real kool.

1 mo question(apologies 4 d hussling) but wat we meant was if der were any non-white vigilante (costume, gadgets, masks, etc)pulp xcters?

If not @ dat time(which was a completely different era in race relations) but perhaps created in d 90's- 2000's comix starring non-white pulp vigilantes in 1920's- 1960's?

We'v been reading Spider by David Liss & we only pikd it up bcuz of his fantabulous Mystery Men mini he did 4 Marvel & it has been gr8 which is y we r gonna pik-up MASKS as well.

[MajorHoy]

Preview looks great . . . I guess I'll have to look into this.

[thwhtGuardian]

Man, looking at that alternate cover I really wish Francavilla was doing the interior art rather than Ross.

That said, Ross's art here is looking more lively than usual, especially on that last page. I'm definitely buying this.

[Jean-Michel]

I'm definitely buying this.

Me too. I'm fan !

[emb021]

1 mo question(apologies 4 d hussling) but wat we meant was if der were any non-white vigilante (costume, gadgets, masks, etc)pulp xcters?

If not @ dat time(which was a completely different era in race relations) but perhaps created in d 90's- 2000's comix starring non-white pulp vigilantes in 1920's- 1960's?

We'v been reading Spider by David Liss & we only pikd it up bcuz of his fantabulous Mystery Men mini he did 4 Marvel & it has been gr8 which is y we r gonna pik-up MASKS as well.

During the original pulp era, there were no non-white major characters in pretty much ANY fiction. Zorro is hispanic, not sure if that counts. There was also Jim Anthony, Super-Detective, who was half Irish and half Indian. Altus is reprinting the original stories and Airship 27 is doing collection of new stories.

There were a few of the Asian detective stories: Mr Moto, Charlie Chan, etc.

David Liss having a black pulp character in Mystery Men is basically filling in a hole in the original era.

In the current New Pulp movement, there are writers, such as Derrick Ferguson, who have been creating non-white pulp characters.

Derrick has Dillion, Fortune McCall, and Mongrel among others:

Dillion:
http://www.amazon.com/Dillon-Voice-O...rrick+ferguson

http://www.amazon.com/Dillon-Legend-...rrick+ferguson

http://www.amazon.com/Four-Bullets-D...rrick+ferguson

http://www.amazon.com/Dillon-Pirates...rrick+ferguson

Fortune McCall: http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-For...rrick+ferguson

Mongrel:

http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Men-Wo...+men+and+women

http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Men-Wo...rrick+ferguson

There is Damballa by Charles Saunders: http://www.amazon.com/Damballa-Charl...words=damballa

Those are some I am aware of. Not an area I've really gotten into. No idea if anyone has tried to create a heroic Asian pulp hero to counter-act the "Yellow Menace" style stories.

[Ed Love]

Green Lama was an interesting character created by Richard Foster, who surprisingly, was able to retain ownership of the Green Lama. This allowed him to publish Green Lama comic book stories with Prize and his own Spark Comics; do a radio show, and more. Despite what some think, he is NOT in the public domain, and the new stories from Airship 27 were done with permission of the estate, and Altus Press has done a 3 volume reprint series of the original stories. Dark Horse did an archive reprint of the Spark Comic series in 2 volumes.

the Green Lama is American Jethro Dumont, who studies in a lamasery in Tibet and became a lama. Now in the America, he uses what he learned to fight crime as The Green Lama.

Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 1: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama
Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 2: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama
Green Lama: Complete Pulp Adventures 3: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Com...rds=green+lama

Green Lama v1: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Kev...rds=green+lama
Green Lama v2: Green Lama Unbound: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Lama-Ada...rds=green+lama

The Green Lama pulp stories are not public domain, but his comicbook appearances actually are as neither the titles nor the individual stories were renewed. The radio shows would be a bit trickier to assess. Radio broadcasts of the time were not covered by Federal Copyright Law, but I've seen references to the fact that some states afforded protection. Some companies like the Shadow's Street & Smith got around this by copyrighting the scripts which would be covered by Federal Copyright Law. In each of his incarnations, the Green Lama underwent some changes that differed from others. So, it's actually fairly easy to differentiate between the version still owned by the Foster estate and the ones that were public domain.

[MajorHoy]

I do have a problem with the title of this series, though.
It always makes me think of this:

[Biff Tannen]

Really looking forward to this.

I know this is kind off the topic, but can anyone recommend a good pulp novel to pick up for The Spider for a first time reader? I'm a big Shadow fan and looking to expand my horizons a bit. I know some of his books are really over the top. I'm looking for something that's not too outrageous (yet) to test the waters a little...