The Dynamite "Pulp/Noir" Universe

[Manga4life]

I figured I would start a thread about the little non-connected/semi-connected pulp/noir universe that Dynamite has assembled for itself as a place to discuss characters that don't have their own books, characters that should have their own books, and things that you would like to see done within the pages of this important corner of the comic book industry. Personally, I would love to see it expanded with characters such as The Avenger, Black Bat, and other classic pulp heroes re-created for a modern audience, I would also like to see Phantom join the universe with a dark title based on the classic incarnation of the character.

What about you guys?

[MajorHoy]

I still have to buy Masks #1 (next time I go to a comic book shop I plan to), but haven't read anything else in this vein from them.

The question is, how many of the other solo books are set in the past? Is the regular Green Hornet monthly series in the present or the past, and is it any good?

When is The Shadow's regular book set? (Note: I'm also currently planning to buy Shadow: Year One next year.)

[Manga4life]

I still have to buy Masks #1 (next time I go to a comic book shop I plan to), but haven't read anything else in this vein from them.

The question is, how many of the other solo books are set in the past? Is the regular Green Hornet monthly series in the present or the past, and is it any good?

When is The Shadow's regular book set? (Note: I'm also currently planning to buy Shadow: Year One next year.)

The Green Hornet title currently being published by Dynamite (which is set to end soon) is set in the current day, the Green Hornet is not the same one in Mask's (it's his son) and was really good for the first 20 or so issues until the art became abysmal. The Shadow is set back in the 30's or 40's while The Spider is set in modern day from what I can tell, but they don't really mention when The Spider takes place but people look modern as opposed to the other books. The upcoming Green Hornet which will be written by Mark Waid will be taking place back in the day and will focus on the classic Hornet, so that should be nice.

[BugsySig]

I think there is a limit to how many ongoing titles they can have in this mold. They already have Green Hornet, Shadow, Spider and even Peter Cannon (slightly more superhero, but similar).

I think they should stick with the appearances in crossovers and maybe an occasional miniseries. Any more than that and they risk watering down their readership.

We have seen that DE does not do well when they overextend into combined universe territory (Superpowers, Genesis).

I do, however, hope they produce a Dynamite Defenders of Earth book with Flash Gordon, Phantom, Mandrake and Lothar.

[Manga4life]

I think there is a limit to how many ongoing titles they can have in this mold. They already have Green Hornet, Shadow, Spider and even Peter Cannon (slightly more superhero, but similar).

I think they should stick with the appearances in crossovers and maybe an occasional miniseries. Any more than that and they risk watering down their readership.

We have seen that DE does not do well when they overextend into combined universe territory (Superpowers, Genesis).

I do, however, hope they produce a Dynamite Defenders of Earth book with Flash Gordon, Phantom, Mandrake and Lothar.

Unfortunately Dynamite has themselves to blame for the poor sales and the destruction of those universes, especially with the lateness of the Genesis books which is what I attribute to the declining sales and lack of interest by the comics community. They seem so heavily invested in The Shadow and The Spider, I the new Green Hornet is good and keeps a readership than I think they should invest in 1 or 2 more titles with the pulp/noir feel, but I guess time will tell.

[rasx]

I think there is a limit to how many ongoing titles they can have in this mold. They already have Green Hornet, Shadow, Spider and even Peter Cannon (slightly more superhero, but similar).

I think they should stick with the appearances in crossovers and maybe an occasional miniseries. Any more than that and they risk watering down their readership.

We have seen that DE does not do well when they overextend into combined universe territory (Superpowers, Genesis).

I do, however, hope they produce a Dynamite Defenders of Earth book with Flash Gordon, Phantom, Mandrake and Lothar.

I would really enjoy a Defenders of the Earth, book. Also I would like a Warlord of Mars/Lord of the Jungle, crossover something like what they did with the Bionic books.

[MajorHoy]

By the way, has anyone read the chapter in Jim Steranko's History of Comics talking about pulp magazine characters from the past?

[Professor Moriarty]

i like to see a cross over with the Spider and The Green Hornet. the modern versions.

[emb021]

By the way, has anyone read the chapter in Jim Steranko's History of Comics talking about pulp magazine characters from the past?

I read it several years back, and don't recall it that well. I know Steranko was very familiar with both Doc Savage and The Shadow. He did all the covers for the Pyramid/Jove Shadow paperbacks, and had plans for more covers. He also did some Doc artwork, including a detailed plan for Doc's supermachine guns. He had briefly done a Doc fanzine and club.

I know the article touched on other pulp heroes, but don't recall exactly who apart from The Spider.

[Ed Love]

The Green Hornet title currently being published by Dynamite (which is set to end soon) is set in the current day, the Green Hornet is not the same one in Mask's (it's his son) and was really good for the first 20 or so issues until the art became abysmal. The Shadow is set back in the 30's or 40's while The Spider is set in modern day from what I can tell, but they don't really mention when The Spider takes place but people look modern as opposed to the other books. The upcoming Green Hornet which will be written by Mark Waid will be taking place back in the day and will focus on the classic Hornet, so that should be nice.

The present day Green Hornet is the son of the Green Hornet, but it's not the 1940s Green Hornet, but more of the 1960s version Green Hornet. Unless some changes have been made, there is no central Green Hornet continuity. NOW Comics did a very similar thing but made the Van Williams and Bruce Lee Green Hornet & Kato, the sons of the 1940s duo and the present day team were the next generation to take up the mantle. They also had the idea of making the present day Kato a woman and doing a title with a Green Hornet of the future.

[jsf]

I know the article touched on other pulp heroes, but don't recall exactly who apart from The Spider.

I know he talked about the Black Bat, and I'm pretty sure he mentioned the Phantom Detective and Operator No. 5. He may have also talked about Secret Agent X, but I can't recall.

[MajorHoy]

The present day Green Hornet is the son of the Green Hornet, but it's not the 1940s Green Hornet, but more of the 1960s version Green Hornet. Unless some changes have been made, there is no central Green Hornet continuity. NOW Comics did a very similar thing but made the Van Williams and Bruce Lee Green Hornet & Kato, the sons of the 1940s duo and the present day team were the next generation to take up the mantle. They also had the idea of making the present day Kato a woman and doing a title with a Green Hornet of the future.

I bought many of the Now Comics Green Hornet run . . . I believe the 1960's Green Hornet had two sons, and the first of those two to take up the mantle was killed. Kato blamed himself for not protecting him, and when the other Reid son took on the identity of the Hornet, the 1960's Kato's younger sister was his Kato. But Now had to change Kato back to a male because the holder of the Green Hornet property was unhappy with a female Kato, and the female eventually took on a different identity as the Crimson Wasp.

The stories themselves were a bit uneven, but there were some good ones.

[emmeemmeesse]

Is the Zorro ongoing series closed? When it is set? What year?

[emb021]

I bought many of the Now Comics Green Hornet run . . . I believe the 1960's Green Hornet had two sons, and the first of those two to take up the mantle was killed. Kato blamed himself for not protecting him, and when the other Reid son took on the identity of the Hornet, the 1960's Kato's younger sister was his Kato. But Now had to change Kato back to a male because the holder of the Green Hornet property was unhappy with a female Kato, and the female eventually took on a different identity as the Crimson Wasp.

The stories themselves were a bit uneven, but there were some good ones.

Ron Fortier was the main writer of the NOW Green Hornet, and came up with the female Kato. His blog is here: http://www.airship27.com/

AFAIR, he went with a uncle/nephew connection between the different Green Hornets, not father/son. This ties in with the fact that the 1940's Green Hornet was the nephew of the Lone Ranger. But its been a long time since I read them, and may be wrong. I think he discussions this on the site (or in his forums there).

Ron is now running Airship 27, one of the major New Pulp publishers.

[MajorHoy]

Is the Zorro ongoing series closed? When it is set? What year?

I'm not sure, but it looks like the last Zorro book by Dynamite was Zorro Rides Again, which was supposedly a 12-issue series that wrapped up a few months ago.
(http://www.comics.org/series/60373/)