The REAL Pulp Fiction

I picked up three new pulp reprints from Adventure House today. Those guys are the leading publisher of old pulp fiction, primarily through their magazines High Adventure and G-8 and his Battle Aces.


G-8 #19 is another great looking issue. The exploits of the flying WWI spy are great, over-the-top fun. I can't wait to dig into this story.


The January 1942 issue of Hooded Detective wants us to believe that a guy in purple and yellow tights is a frightening figure to the underworld. He should have been scared of DC Comics' lawyers, since he stole the costume of the Jack Kirby-Joe Simon version of Sandman. That aside, how could you resist a novel titled "The Whispering Eye"?


Now that's what I'm talkin' about. Eerie Stories. August 1937. "Startling Adventures in Chilling Horror", as the contents page proclaims. And dig some of these story titles: "Virgins of the Stone Death", "The Soul-Scorcher's Lair", "Corpse Girl's Return", "The Pain Master's Bride" and "Mate of the Beast". I would've plopped down three nickels for that line up (or maybe not; in 1937 you could have gotten an issue of Doc Savage or The Shadow for a dime).

The Adventure House reprints include most of the original ads, too, like a full page piece for those people who were too skinny and needed to gain weight. Let that sink in and then give it a big ol' 2006 "Huh?" That's right. In 1937 skinny = bad. And what was the miracle product that put the pounds on? Ironized Yeast, "made from special imported cultured ale yeast". Yep, beer fixins'. Swallow it down, you 98-pound weakling.

Notice I freely plug Adventure House and their fine publications, even though the one time I spoke with them directly I was treated like Pat Robertson at an Israeli picnic.

Before I could get their products through my local comics shop, I ordered them direct from the publisher. Back in those days, I bought a lot of books through the mail, so when I got a big box from Adventure House, I wasn't surprised. I opened it, only to find a bunch of books I already owned. Digging down, I discovered a receipt made out to some other person. So, trying to be a nice guy, I called AH and told them what had happened. You'd expect a brief apology or a word of thanks, right? Instead I was read the riot act for opening a package that they sent to me. A lesser man would have dumped the books in the river, but I sent them back. And here I am recommending their pulp reprints. How mature. How enlightened I am.

So try the books. Just get them through your comic shop so you can bypass the grumpy guy who answers the phone.