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Besides posting book reviews, once in a while I will be posting articles on the subject of pulps. I hope we can generate more interest for the Blog. If you would like to share an article on the pulps, you can send me a message in the Comments of a post.

Friday, February 28, 2014

Radio Archives


 
February 28, 2014
 
 
 
“A modern day soldier of fortune finds mystery and intrigue in lands strange and romantic on Dangerous Assignment!”
 
This ad copy for NBC’s globe hopping adventure of intrigue and espionage captured the essence of Dangerous Assignment perfectly. Each week, Steve Mitchell was summoned to the office of the unnamed agency he worked for by his superior, the Commissioner. There, details of a plot that normally meant harm and death might come to the United States were revealed and Steve would be off on another action packed trip to uncover the plot, rout out the villains, and keep America safe for another week.
 
Dangerous Assignment is an excellent example of pulpy Post World War II action, especially with its focus on Mitchell. Played by Brian Donlevy in a two fisted, head on style, Mitchell is the sort of hero America looked for in entertainment in the 1950s. Devoutly patriotic, ready to defend the United States at the drop of a hat, and prepared to stand against any menace, mostly foreign, that might endanger the lives of honest Americans. Definitely not the only character to rise out of the paranoia and concern of Americans about Communists and other foreign threats throughout the 1950s, Steve Mitchell is wonderfully conceived in that mold and played to the hilt by Donlevy.
 
Dangerous Assignment, Volume 5 from Radio Archives features episodes of this classic series restored to sparkling audio quality and full of intrigue, suspense, and humor, making every episode a fun listen for any fan!
 
Dangerous Assignment, Volume 5 is six hours, twelve shows of great fun. 6 hours. $17.98 Audio CDs / $8.99 Download.

 
Special 50% discount Offer
"And now...another tale well-calculated to keep you in...SUSPENSE!"
 
"Suspense" premiered over CBS Radio on June 17, 1942. Beginning January 3, 1948, "Suspense" was moved to Saturday nights and was broadcast from 8:00 to 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. That’s right: a full hour of “Suspense.” To jazz up "Suspense," CBS hired actor Robert Montgomery to be the host and occasional performer. Many of the hour-long "Suspense" shows were movie adaptations, including “Deadline at Dawn,” “Crossfire” and “Nightmare”. There were even two productions that, it could be said, acted as previews of coming attractions: the series’ 1948 productions of “In a Lonely Place” and “The House by the River” were brought to the silver screen in 1950. Several of "Suspense’s" celebrated classics were also repeated during the hour-long experiment, having been lengthened to fit the new format. They included such audience favorites as “The Lodger,” “Donovan’s Brain,” and “Love’s Lovely Counterfeit.”
 
Perhaps the most memorable of the hour-long "Suspense" shows was the second program in the short-lived sixty minute series: an entertaining sequel to Dashiell Hammett’s “The Maltese Falcon” entitled “The Kandy Tooth.” What made this installment so entertaining was that it had the novelty of Howard Duff and Lurene Tuttle appearing in the familiar roles of Sam Spade and Effie Perrine from the popular CBS detective show "The Adventures of Sam Spade." In addition, host Montgomery provided a funny cameo as Spade's fellow detective Philip Marlowe — a part he had played in the 1946 noir "The Lady in the Lake."
 
"Suspense’s" hour-long experiment closed up shop on May 15, 1948 and, close to two months later, the show moved back to its cozy Thursday night berth in its familiar half-hour form with a new sponsor, Autolite. "Suspense" would continue to be heard on the network for the next fourteen years, closing the curtain for the last time in September 1962. 10 hours. Regular Price $29.98 - Specially priced until March 13 for $14.99 Audio CDs / $7.49 Download.
 
 
 
by Will Murray and Lester Dent writing as Kenneth Robeson
Read by Michael McConnohie
 
 
Early in 1949, Lester Dent wrote what proved to be his final Doc Savage novel, Up From Earth’s Center. It was a very strange tale in which Doc and his men descend into a cavern that seems to be an outpost of hell itself. To this day, many fans think that Lester ended his famous pulp series on a note of deliberate if unresolved fantasy. Not so. He had no idea he’d penned his final Doc.

A few months later, Dent pitched his editor, Daisy Bacon, a follow-up story. By return mail, she informed him that Doc Savage magazine had been suspended. Shortly after that, it was canceled. He never wrote this proposed tale.

Forty years later, when Bantam Books asked me to write new Doc Savage novels, I was ready. With the permission of Lester’s widow, Norma Dent, I had already turned that interesting premise into the short novel I called, The Frightened Fish.

Expanding on Dent’s idea, I turned this concept into a far-ranging adventure that began in New York City with sightings of mysterious people inexplicably terrified by images of ordinary fish, and brings the Man of Bronze to New England, where all sea life has mysteriously disappeared from Massachusetts coastal waters. The trail ultimately takes Doc by submarine to Occupied Japan, and an incredible showdown with a foe from his past, who was believed to have perished in the 1945 novel, The Screaming Man.

This is a story of the early Cold War, and a sequel to Lester’s 1948 masterpiece, The Red Spider, in which a more mature and emotionally sophisticated Man of Bronze tackles an international threat which resonates with today's ecologically-challenged headlines. Characters from his past reappear, and Doc Savage is tested in ways never before imagined.

Doc fans responded positively when The Frightened Fish was first published in 1992, especially in the way that it peels back his stoic mask of bronze to expose the inner emotional life of the legendary superman known as Doc Savage.

Michael McConnohie masterfully brings this gripping tale to life, adding depths of emotional complexity that will make The Frightened Fish and its shattering climax live long in your memory. 5 hours $19.98 Audio CDs / $9.99 Download.



What do Harry Keogh, Sonja Blue, and Sidney Taine have in common?
 
More to the point, who is bringing together Brian Lumley, Nancy A. Collins, Bob Weinberg, Jay Bonansinga, and a surprising group of other horror writers in a new Audiobook series?
 
Welcome to Robert Weinberg Presents, an exciting new Audiobook series featuring some of the very best unabridged horror novels by the top authors in the business! The series will range from the 1940's till right now. The producer of this series is Radio Archives, one of the largest independent audio book companies in the world. Editor of the series is Robert Weinberg, author of Horror of the Twentieth Century and winner of three Bram Stoker Awards for his work in the horror field. This will be your first chance to hear many of your favorite characters come to life in all their gruesome but fascinating style.
 
Starting in March with Jay Bonansinga’s Oblivion, watch for a new release every month in Robert Weinberg Presents from RadioArchives.com!!!
 

Robert Weinberg Presents
by Robert Weinberg
Read by Nick Santa Maria
 
 
In 452, Attila the Hun, also known as The Scourge of God, invaded Italy with his barbarian horde. His goal was to sack Rome and then burn it to the ground. The Vatican and all of its treasures appeared lost. Slowly, methodically, Attila and his horde made their way to the Eternal City, looting and burning city after city. Finally, they made camp within a few miles of Rome. It was then that Pope Leo went to bargain with Attila. According to historians of the period, Leo seemed to glow golden. In his hands, the Pope carried a jewel-encrusted box that burned with unholy fire. No one knew what the box contained or why the Pope brought it with him. Whatever that mysterious box contained so frightened Attila that he withdrew his troops and left Rome alone. Attila died soon after his failed attempt to conquer the Eternal City.

Pope Leo’s mysterious box disappears back into the vaults of the Vatican, never to be seen again. Until vague rumors circulate about it surface in Nazi Germany during the final days of World War II - rumors that speak of an experiment that defies all laws of nature. Stories involving an ancient race of vampires known as the Very Old Folk.

In The Armageddon Box, Alex Warner and his bride, Valerie Lancaster, the two survivors of the Devil's Auction, find themselves engaged in a desperate hunt for Pope Leo's mysterious treasure box. Aligned against them are a secret religious order known as the Circumcellions, and a demonic Neo-Nazi superman who calls himself Dietrich Vril. It’s a wild mix of high adventure and black magic as Alex and Valerie struggle to discover the incredible secret contained in the Armageddon Box. 7 hours $27.98 Audio CDs / $13.99 Download.
 
 
 
Robert Weinberg Presents
The Armageddon Box eBook
by Robert Weinberg
 
The sequel to The Devil's Auction. A friend's brutal murder brought the seemingly worthless book into Alex Warner's possession. He had no idea that it held the secret to an age-old mystery and key to unimaginable power. But he discovered that quick enough as he found himself the target of a secret religious cult and a strange Neo-Nazi superman with incredible powers.
 
With Valerie Lancaster, Alex must follow the trail of the book from Chicago's back alleys to an impregnable Swiss fortress, and learn the hidden history of an ancient race of vampires and their ties with Nazi Germany. Only then would he learn how to open the Armageddon Box. 
 
This exciting novel has been beautifully reformatted for easy reading as an eBook. This entire line of eBooks are of the highest quality and feature great horror/fantasy novels long out of print.
 
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.
 
Use the PDF version when reading on your PC or Mac computer. If you have a Kindle, the Mobi version is what you want. If you have an iPad/iPhone, Android, Sony eReader or Nook, then the ePub version is what you want. Regular price $9.99 on sale for $2.99.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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!
 
People thought that Sperryville’s crime wave was caused by foreign sabotage. But Richard Wentworth recognized the trade-mark of... The Knife! How could even Wentworth bring to earth this monstrous criminal when Chief Stone had the Spider’s fingerprints; when the Sons of Liberty were trailing Nita through the night — and the Spider himself lay wounded at the feet of a vengeance-maddened cop! 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 Hugh B. Cave 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 Hugh B. Cave reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.

Dime Mystery Magazine Chandler H. Whipple
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 Chandler H. Whipple  reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. $2.99.

Steel fists beat without mercy upon the hapless and tortured victims of the sky and the Drome of the Damned is the City of the Dead! Fly and fight side by side with the Master Spy in a glorious bid for freedom and supremacy in the skies! 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.


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.

Tonight Bluebird gave her farewell performance, in the chair! It was strictly solo — unless she could make a murder-maestro sing too! 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.
 
Coe Rinnett was perfectly willing to pay with his life for murder! 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 Spanish treasure sweet Sue Pedarre and I dug up that night in the dark was a hot stack of black-market G-notes, and a hailstorm of white-hot death! 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.
 
An ancient manuscript and a corpse brought Charles and Tessa Colton to the red brink of hell itself! 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 eBook 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? $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! $24.95.
 
Pulp fiction's Master of Men returns in two classic stories from 1938 and 1942. First, in "City of Lost Men" (1938), Manhattan's guardians of the law are turned into drooling lunatics, leaving the city wide open to thieves and criminals. Who is behind this hideous menace? Can the afflicted be cured or are they doomed to insanity forever? Death is the only answer in this epic fight between the Master of the Mad and the Master of Men! Then, strange cat-like men are striking down their victims with a horrifying death-device that causes the doomed to wither away to nothing. A man with no face points a slender cane and a man dies. With his fiance Nita van Sloan enslaved within the Temple of Beauty, The Spider battles to save New York from the "Gentleman From Hell" (1942). 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. $14.95.
 
Pulp fiction's legendary Knight of Darkness returns in two of his most engrossing adventures. A new crime fighter called "The Cobra" decimates the Manhattan underworld in a murderous war on organized crime. Has The Shadow finally met his match, or will he be forced to de-fang a human snake? Then, the Knight of Darkness confronts not one but two sinister doppelgangers in "The Third Shadow". Which Shadow will have the last laugh? In his foreword, Marvel Comics' Dick Ayers recalls how The Shadow inspired the creation of the Ghost Rider, while popular culture historian Will Murray explains how The Shadow influenced the creation of classic characters including Batman, the Spider, the Black Bat and the Darkman. This classic pulp collection also features George Rozen's electrifying pulp covers and all the original interior art by acclaimed illustrator Tom Lovell. $12.95.
 
Pulp fiction's legendary Man of Bronze returns in two of his most engrossing adventures. After stowing away aboard a ghost zeppelin, Doc and his Iron Crew tangle with a bizarre vampiric murderer and villainous Arabs who are protecting the secret of "The Sargasso Ogre." Then, while returning to New York via ocean liner, the Man of Bronze encounters modern-day Amazons in Lester Dent's all-time favorite Doc Savage story, "The Lost Oasis."  This classic pulp reprint also features the original 1933 pulp covers by Walter Baumhofer from the ultra-rare seventh and eighth issues of "Doc Savage Magazine", the unsold 1936 Doc Savage newspaper strip by Lester Dent and Paul Orban, and historical commentary by pulp historian Will Murray. $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. $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.  $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. $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. $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. $35.00.
 
 
 
 
 

 


Review of The Spider THE SPIDER AND THE SLAVES OF HELL
By Andrew Salmon
 
As every fan of the Spider knows, it became the norm for a Spider yarn to begin with a bang, and it must have been more and more difficult for Norvell W. Page to constantly top his previous efforts month in and month out. He pulls it off splendidly in The Spider and the Slaves of Hell!

A desperate car chase, a crash! And one of the city's criminals is at the door of Richard Wentworth with a dire warning: a new super villain of crime is preparing to blow up a building and there will be no stopping him! The building in question is the very abode of Wentworth and it could blow any second. With the guillotine blade poised over his head, mad flight is the order of the day. There's just one problem. Nita is bed-ridden with both her legs broken! With mere seconds to spare, Wentworth and company need half an hour at least to reach safety.

If that doesn't grab you by the throat until you holler, then nothing will. From this mad race against time, we soon learn that the dastardly villain has concocted a scheme whereby he and his crew plant explosives in a building, force the occupants out so that they can rob the place, then blow the building to dust to cover the theft. Sometimes they don't even wait for the building to be cleared. Just ask the visitors to Madison Square Garden on one hellish night. The villains are also in possession of guns that fire explosive bullets and the carnage they create with these weapons is staggering.

Only Wentworth, injured and hunted by both sides of the law, can stop the destruction but his efforts to infiltrate the gang are thwarted at every turn.

The Spider and the Slaves of Hell is a great read! The action kicks off from the opening line and doesn't let up until the last page. The passion between Wentworth and Nita is palpable in their scenes together and the two manage to grow closer even as they are thrust apart by some incredible action sequences. This one takes place on a large scale and the plot elements have repercussions for future stories. One minor quibble is the novel's rather abrupt ending but after the onslaught of action leading up to the finish, the reader doesn't feel short-changed.

Although this one can be read as a standalone adventure with no loss of enjoyment, it is the second of a series of four linked novels. After experiencing the high-stakes conflicts in this one, you'll want to read the others. This one will knock your socks off.

Double Novel Reprint $14.98 eBook $2.99 / Audiobook Audio CDs $23.98 / Audiobook Download $11.99 / Girasol Replica $35.00


Comments From Our Customers!
 
Ryan Jackson writes:
I just wanted to say that I just purchased a few Operator 5 reprint ebooks, and they look and read spectacular. Ever since I heard about the Purple Invasion saga in the nineties, I've been eagerly searching for reprints, biding my time. Thank you for reprinting them in an accessible and affordable format.
 
Nancy Hilton writes:
To find this classic, the Cinnamon Bear is a complete joy! Get it and enjoy it with your kids and grandkids! Throw pillows on the floor and let imaginations fly as you enjoy this old radio gem.
 
Mary Magaldo writes:
Please know that I am thoroughly enjoying the audiobook of Terror Tales. I really enjoyed “Six Doors To Horror” by Arthur J. Burk. The Frederick C. Davis story, “Dig Deep the Graves” was a real chiller. The Mummy Maker” by Paul Ernst was fantastic! All in all a great selection! Let me commend you for the excellence of your products.
 
Eric Ingram writes:
Great service and wonderful products! Thank you!!
 
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!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

It Came From The Atomic Age Trading Cards


 PLAY
A retro style 18 card set in the style of Red Menace and Wild Man, featuring the best of the 1950's, from Roswell to the Red Scare.

The classic 1950's Topps / Bowman card set that never existed - but should have!

If you asked most people what images spring to mind when you mention the 1950's, they would probably say ElvisJames DeanHot RodsGreasers and SocsMarylin Monroe. Maybe even Bettie Page.
If you asked me, I would say fringe Orgone scientist Wilhelm Reich, Shaver Mystery founder Richard S. Shaver,  and Jet Propulsion Lab founder / alchemist / occultistJack Parsons. Even Dr. Fredric Wertham, who almost single handedly destroyed the comic book industry in the early 1950's. Since i'd be thinking of comics i'd then mention Blackhawk and EC Comics short lived hosts, The Vault Keeper, the Old Witch, and the Crypt Keeper. Or perhaps the frighteningly inaccurate psychic The Amazing Criswell and his PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE co-stars horror hostVampira, and wrestler Tor Johnson. I'd probably also have to say Indy filmmaker Ed Wood Jr.,Republic Pictures' rocketman Commando Cody and Columbia Serials'Superman played by Kirk Alyn. And of course, I couldn't leave out the Gray Aliens that crashed at Roswell in 1947 or the Detrimental Robots (Deros for short) from underground that Richard Shaver warned us about. Since i love vintage sports I'd have to say Washington Redskins Slingin' Sammy Baugh. And of course, last but not least,Joseph Stalin, who got the Cold War off to an icy start. By this time you, who asked me the question, would have wandered off dazed, having  stopped listening minutes previous, and I would be thinking about a new card set.
Originally I had an idea for a comic book, sort of a modern League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with Reich, Parsons, Shaver and stripper Blaze Starr solving UFO abductions (that's a future Kickstarter) At the same time I became interested in the early 1950's releases of some of the major gum card companies of the time, and thought it would be nice to create another alternative set of people that never made it onto gum cards in their era but should have.(Stalin and Sammy Baugh aside)
And so, IT CAME FROM THE ATOMIC AGE was born.
Prototypes / Mockups shown. Actual cards might vary slightly in color and detail.
Prototypes / Mockups shown. Actual cards might vary slightly in color and detail.
The style I chose for the the artwork for this set is based on some of the more colorful movie posters (mostly Italian)  and pulp covers (Hubert Rogers) of the time rather than what was mostly gouache on board illustrations for cards of this period. I debated color correcting the set to make it look older and faded, but decided to keep the fronts vibrant. Only the promo card is vintage style. I also tried color tinting black and artwork, like the Lone Ranger and Three Stooges sets from the 1950's, but those ended upreally looked horrible.
As with my other sets, cards will not be glossy or UV coated in keeping with the production methods of the era
Example of reverse design. Prototype/mockup shown, actual card may differ slightly in colour/detail.
Example of reverse design. Prototype/mockup shown, actual card may differ slightly in colour/detail.
.
Other company's sketch cards look they have been scrawled by a diseased wombat
Other company's sketch cards look they have been scrawled by a diseased wombat
Mockups of Atomic Age sketch cards based on my previous releases
Mockups of Atomic Age sketch cards based on my previous releases
Included with the base set, for all pledges $27 and over is a randomly inserted original hand-drawn sketch card of one of the 18 subjects in the set, and maybe even a few others!
Prints for this series will be printed on tan pulp-style paper and arranged into two sets. They really look old! I have given some of these away in the past and they were well received. This will be the only time these prints will be available, as I am not in the print business. Some of the prints have a much larger image area than the images on the cards, as they are un-cropped. Hang these stunning 8 1/2 by 11 inch prints in your home, office, den, bomb shelter, or abandoned nuclear missle silo with pride!
Availabe for tiers $35 and and $75 and over.
Availabe for tiers $35 and and $75 and over.
An array of rewards is offered for this project. Like my last project, prints will only be available through Kickstarter and will not be available for retail. So pledge now if you want them!

Risks and challengesLearn about accountability on Kickstarter

The artwork is 95 percent complete, aside from color, contrast, brightness correction, correcting eye and hair color, spelling corrections, and minor details of that nature. There is always some frustration and delays from dealing with a commercial printer, but once the funds are released, essentially all there is to do is click a few buttons to send printing orders off. I've been doing this sort of thing for over a decade now, and shipped to every continent except Antarctica. (For some reason they don't like my work there.

FAQ

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