Tales of Masks & Mayhem V #1

 Tom Johnson holding a copy of Ginger’s TALES OF MASKS & MAYHEM V#1: Ginger selected the stories appearing in this anthology series she started back around 2005. There have been four issues, each with great new pulp stories. Be sure to check them out.

TALES OF MASKS & MAYHEM V #1: Stories selected by Ginger Johnson and edited by K. G. McAbee. All-new pulp tales featuring Doc Atlas, The Night Hawk, The Tarantula, The Scarecrow, The Black Ghost, The Grey Monk, and Secret Agent "X" and written by Maxentius Andor Scarlatti, Therese Drippe, John L. French, Lance Curry, Michael A. Black, Debra Delorme, Will Murray and Tom Johnson. Available for Review in PDF. Also available from ALTUS PRESS and Amazon for $21.85 at http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Masks-Mayhem-K-G-McAbee/dp/1440457204/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444759638&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=tales+of+masks+%26+mayhem+V1

New Pulp And New Pulp Heroes

New Pulp And New Pulp Heroes

Clancy O’Hara’s PULP #7

The hero pulp magazines ended in the summer of 1953, while genre pulp magazines continued through the late fifties, and even into the 1960’s. One had the gall to hang on until about 1972. But the end had arrived. Men’s adventure paperbacks were taking the place of those old magazines on the racks, and digest magazines replaced the SF, Mystery, Western & Romance pulps.

The pulp magazines had kept to a strict moral code watched over by publishers and editors, though some of the covers might have gave a different impression of what was inside. By 1953, however, the hero pulps were not immune to the changing time, and the morals were beginning to evaporate. The final issues of The Phantom Detective, Dan Fowler (G-Men Detective), and The Black Bat (Black Book Detective) contained strong hints of sex and rougher language. But by then their time was dying, and the paperbacks had taken over for good.

Jerry Page’s The Armadillo

Let’s concentrate on the pulp hero, or I might use the term NEW PULP HERO at this phase. When did it start? That’s easy. The first we absolutely know of for sure, was Jerry Page’s The Armadillo, a masked hero that appeared in print just a few years after the hero pulp magazines ceased in the mid 1950s. By the 1960s there were new stories of The Shadow, to prove that OLD PULP HEROES were not dead. And others were writing clones of Doc Savage and Tarzan, like Phil Farmer and Lin Carter, among others. I don’t have a good track on all the new pulp heroes that were strangely appearing in paperback, but I could name some, if pressed. Even major comic book houses like Marvel and DC were bringing their characters out in prose paperback editions.

Tom Johnson’s The Black Ghost

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a concerted effort to maintain this new pulp/new pulp hero tradition until 1995. In January of that year – dated Winter - it all changed. The culprit was Clancy O’Hara’s PULP FICTION MAGAZINE - changed to PULP, A FICTION MAGAZINE with the third issue and just plain PULP with the seventh issue. And the first new pulp characters to arrive in Clancy’s magazine were Aaron B. Larson’s Haakon Jones, and Tom Johnson’s The Black Ghost, both appearing in early issues. In June 1995, Tom & Ginger’s FADING SHADOWS magazines kicked off with CLASSIC PULP FICTION STORIES and ran through December 2004, and the new pulp/new pulp heroes were claiming their place as “new pulp fiction”. Clancy may have been the first to call it NEW PULP, but we at FADING SHADOWS called it NEW STORIES IN THE PULP TRADITION. I’m not really sure when the NEW PULP banner started, but I imagine someone at Pro Se could fill us in.

As the reader can see, NEW PULP is really quite old. I still prefer NEW STORIES IN THE PULP TRADITION, however. Doesn’t that make sense? But whatever we call it, since 1995 NEW PULP FICTION has been going strong, and we’ve definitely seen some interesting characters show up on radar. In January 2015, the modern day pulp fiction will be twenty years old. Haakon Jones and The Black Ghost will also share that honor.

My Kindle Books Part One

NEW PULP HEROES: $3.99. Tom & Ginger Johnson compile 71 essays on new pulp characters, plus 3 essays on villains, and data on research books, listings of new and original pulp heroes, and fanzines. Also included are new pulp fiction stories: “The Mind Master” by Tom, and “The Origin of Mr. Minus” by Ginger. This will also be sold in paperback through FADING SHADOWS. This is very likely the first of several books that will detail the history of new pulp heroes, and their creators. For fans of old pulp and new, this is a must have for all researchers and those looking for specific pulp characters.

THE BLACK BAT’S WAR: $1.99. In the trenches of war-torn Germany, soldiers were dying from the medicines received for wounds. The Army generals blamed America for the bad drugs, yet nothing could be done until the source of the deadly medicine was uncovered and replaced with good drugs. While investigators are stymied, The Black Bat and his team of crime fighters take up the challenge in New York, uncovering a giant plot by a master criminal. But would they be in time to save brave young soldiers dying of their wounds in a far off No-Man’s Land?

CITY OF PHANTOMS: $0.99. When An Old Case Resurfaces, The World's Greatest Detective Is Pulled Back Into A New Battle With A Deadly Enemy, While Ex-Fighting District Attorney Tony Quinn's Lovely Secretary, Carol Baldwin Is Kidnapped By A Vicious Mob, Hoping To Force The Prosecution To Drop Its Case Against Their Boss. Two Champions Of Justice Meet In A Race Against Time!

LOST LAND OF JUR: $2.99. The third novel in the Jur series. Bush pilot, Jack Richards, steps through the time portal seeking adventure, taking him back a hundred and fifty million years to the Jurassic period encounters terrible dinosaurs, horrific beasts, and wild savages. After rescuing Mai Ling, another time traveler, she is captured and carried off to an ancient city. Jack must trail the savages and rescue the girl since he knows he has fallen in love with. Their quest is filled with many dangers as they search for the fabled domed city of the First Ones. If they can survive, the domed city offers a way home for Mai Ling, even though Jack Richards does not wish to leave Jur.

QUEEN OF JUR: $2.99. In this 4th novel in the Jur series, while lost in a prehistoric land that time forgot, a twentieth century couple must survive the dangers of savage beasts and dinosaurs. Jack Richards, captured by the flying birdmen, is a prisoner of She-la, the self-proclaimed queen of this unknown land. Far to the east, a strange rescue party consisting of wild men and half apes, led by the beautiful French girl, marches through wild, uncharted jungle searching for the lost city where Jack is held. Action and adventure at its best.

TREASURE OF JUR: $2.99. The 5th novel in the popular Jur saga. Nazi Germany has found a time portal giving them access to the treasures of a prehistoric land. But even with superior weapons, Hitler’s supermen may not win through to the ultimate prize. Jungle excitement and thrills await the reader in this current tale of greed and murder in a savage pre-dawn world.

DRUMS OF JUR: $2.99. The 6th novel in the Jur series. Jurak, the son of Aaron Jameson and Odette Aimee St. Claire, born on Jur, returns to his birthplace seeking adventure – and love. When the Queen of Kal-dar is kidnapped it brings an ape clan and wild men together to mount a rescue. Dinosaurs, danger, and thrills in the savage land of prehistoric Jur. Don’t miss this final tale in the series.

THE MIND MASTER: $0.99. New York has a new hero. In a contemporary setting, thieves knock over an art gallery, stealing famous and valuable paintings, and at the same time hit a museum displaying a necklace once belonging to Queen Bathsheba given to her by King Solomon, its value beyond price. From the chaos rises a new hero, The Mind Master!

GUNS OF THE BLACK GHOST: $3.99. This is my tribute to Walter Gibson and The Shadow. Set in contemporary times, Jimmy Malone dons a black hood and cape sending fear into the hearts of evildoers, as he battles the underworld in the tradition of a modern day Shadow or Spider. Burning eyes, a mocking laugh, and blazing automatics announce his entrance into an affray. Gangsters cringe when they come up against the guns of the Black Ghost!

New Pulp Heroes

A reminder, Tom & Ginger’s NEW PULP HEROES is still available on Kindle for $3.99 at http://www.amazon.com/New-Pulp-Heroes-Tom-Johnson-ebook/dp/B00I6PO30Y/ref=la_B008MM81CM_1_28_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401405245&sr=1-28

Tom & Ginger Johnson compile 71 essays on new pulp characters, plus 3 essays on villains, and data on research books, listings of new and original pulp heroes, and fanzines. Also included are new pulp fiction stories: “The Mind Master” by Tom, and “The Origin of Mr. Minus” by Ginger. This will also be sold in paperback through FADING SHADOWS. This is very likely the first of several books that will detail the history of new pulp heroes, and their creators. For fans of old pulp and new, this is a must have for all researchers and those looking for specific pulp characters. To order the paperback, contact Tom & Ginger at fadingshadows40@gmail.com The paperback contains a few less essays, but several pages of art that is not in the Kindle edition. The print copy is $12.00, plus $3.99 postage. When we have enough material on hand, we will publish a second edition of the book, so if anyone has material they want added, be sure to contact us.

Tom's Short Story Collections

These Short Story collections are in the tradition of the classic fiction stories that appeared in the heyday of the pulp magazines; new stories of original characters, as well as new characters in contemporary and historical settings. Although I do take a few liberties with the original characters, I try to keep them true to their origins. For the fan of those great action heroes, as well as the new fan, these stories will give the reader a sampling of the old style while not lacking in action and excitement. As a long time fan and collector, I have complete runs of the major character magazines, and have read them all, so I am truly familiar with the characters I write. I am not just a fan of Doc Savage, and not just a fan of The Shadow, but I am a fan of them all. And I hope that comes through to the reader as s/he reads the following short story collections.

PULP DETECTIVES by Tom Johnson. For the first time, nine all-new stories starring the classic pulp heroes of the 1930s, featuring characters such as The Phantom Detective, The Black Bat, The Lone Eagle, The Masked Detective, Secret Agent X and Nightwind. Written by pulp scholar Tom Johnson, it’s nearly 350 pages of excitement! $24.95 from Amazon and Altus Press www.altuspress.com/

PULP ECHOES by Tom Johnson. The Bat returns in "Blind As A Bat", The Crimson Clown returns in "The Crimson Clown – Killer", Nibs Holloway battles Dr. Death in "Till Death Do Us Part", The Black Ghost is back in "Carnival of Death", Captain Anthony Adventure in "Terror In The North Country", The Black Cat in "A Cat Among Dogs", and Senora Scorpion in "Senora Scorpion". The cover features Senora Scorpion! 238 pages. $14.50 from Amazon and NTD www.bloodredshadow.com/

EXCITING PULP TALES by Tom Johnson. The exciting sequel to PULP DETECTIVES, this collection brings you ten more all-new stories featuring classic pulp heroes such as The Angel, The Green Ghost, The Cobra, The Crimson Mask, Gentle Jones, The Purple Scar, Funny Face, Mr. Death,  The Jungle Queen, and Ki-Gor. $24.95 from Amazon and Altus Press www.altuspress.com/

NEW CLASSIC PULP FICTION STORIES by Tom Johnson. Featuring the Moon Man in “Hunter’s Moon”, Secret Agent X in “The Death Tower”, The Man In Purple in “Seven Men of Greed”, Dorus Noel in “The Black Shadow”, and Colonel Jeremiah Custer in “The Silence of Death” (originally written as a Dr. Harker story). 200 pages. $12.00 from the author at fadingshadows40@gmail.com