Pulp Adventures #39 - Paperback

by Laurie Powers (Author), David Goudsward (Author), O. Henry (Author)

This issue focuses on Doc Savage, with special emphasis on Steve Holland, the great artist model who portrayed Doc on paperback covers for three decades..

• First, Will Murray traces The Batman's origins, demonstrating how the character was influenced by both The Shadow and Zorro. Of particular focus is the crossover stories DC Comics published in the 1970s, wherein Manhattan's Man of Mystery and The Dark Knight actually cross paths, in two different issues of Batman.
• Next, Laurie Powers (author of Daisy Bacon: Queen of the Pulps) interviews Will Murray regarding his journey from being a Doc Savage fan to becoming the author. Will describes his early involvement with the Doc Savage series, and the arc of the Wild Adventures series.
• Steve Holland: The World's Greatest Illustration Art Model documents the career of the man who posed as Doc Savage for illustrator James Bama, Bob Larkin, and Joe DeVito. But Holland wasn't just the Man of Bronze - he posed for numerous important illustrators as The Avenger, The Spider, Flash Gordon, The Phantom, and as various soldiers, cops and criminals for thousands of mens adventure magazines. Michael Stradford, author of the new book, discusses the actor-turned-model, his life and career, and the importance of Holland's lasting influence on commercial art.

Also in this issue:

• David Goudsward discuss the background of Henry S. Whitehead's story "The Love Philtre" (written as Casimir Dren), accompanying a reprint of the story.
• O. Henry's stories became the gold standard for short story authors in America, and around the world. This issue features his pulp tales "Witch's Loaves" (from The Argosy, March 1904) and "The Venturers" (originally published in Everybody's Magazine, October 1909). William Nadel, editor of Thirty by O. Henry, provides notes on O. Henry and the stories.

Classic pulp fiction:

• Door of Doom by Charles Boeckman

• Calculated Nightmare by John Burke

• Witches' Loaves by O. Henry

• The Venturers by O. Henry

• The Love Philtre by Henry S. Whitehead

New pulp fiction:

• Jake's Close Shave by Brian Beatty

• Djinn and Tonic by Teel James Glenn

• Evil Forces by Gary Lovisi

• Red's Chapel by Charles Burgess

• The Making of a Pirate by Adam McFarlane