The Spider - Classic Pulp Covers

Feeling the desire to read another one of these!

 

Doc Savage Pulp Covers

 

For some reason this week I've been thinking about Doc Savage and I realized a sad thing. There will never be another film version of the character made. We've aged out of the period in which there were enough creative people behind the scenes with a love of the character willing to push a new film forward. While there have been sporadic revivals with various comic book series and even a series of generally excellent new books called The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage published starting in 2011, I just don't see anyone willing to bankroll a film based on a character that debuted in 1933. Even the possibility of a 100th anniversary celebration wouldn't be enough to get things off the ground, I fear. Our last chance came and went about ten years ago when Shane Black wanted to cast Dwayne Johnson in the role but he just didn't have the clout. (Maybe if he hadn't cut his Predator film down to the bone he would have had the financial success to get the project off the ground but Black is often his own worst editor.)

So now, for all eternity we are saddled with the incredibly flawed and silly 1975 George Pal film as the only cinematic version of the character available. Doc Savage deserved better, but at least the original pulps are regularly reprinted in cheap versions so he won't completely fade away. But his fanbase shrinks smaller with each passing year and that is a shame.

The Phantom Detective - Cover Gallery

Although the pulp magazine was called The Phantom Detective the character was referred to as The Phantom in the stories. Like so many depression era do-gooders his true identity was Richard Curtis Van Loan, an independently wealthy man. He was orphaned at a young age inheriting wealth from his parents. In the first few issues of the title, the Phantom is introduced as a world-famous detective, whose secret identity is only known by one man - confidant Frank Havens, the publisher of the Clarion newspaper. Before World War I, he lead the life of an idle playboy, but during the war he became a pilot and destroyed many German planes in combat.

After the war, Van Loan had a difficult time returning to his old life and at the suggestion of his father's friend, Havens, he sets out to solve a crime that had stumped the police. After solving it, he decided he had found his calling.

In a turn that will seem familiar to fans of certain superhero comic characters, he trained himself in all facets of detection and forensics, and became a master of disguise and escape. In time, he makes a name for himself as the Phantom gaining the respect of police agencies around the world. 

I discovered the character through reprints and find his adventures to be fine pulp reading. I return to the series on occasion and am rarely disappointed in the thrill-ride nature of the mysteries. The name of the writer is a pseudonym so I never know who really penned the various tales but there is a consistently high level of quality across the dozen or so I've been able to read. 

 

The Shadow Pulp Covers

 Any of these would have gotten my dime (or dime and a nickel) immediately and I'd be reading it was I walked away from the newsstand. 

Planet Comics Cover Gallery

I think the cover artists were told "Don't come in here with a cover that doesn't have legs prominent or you will be smacked by my secretary! The more legs the better!"

 

Classic Weird Tales Cover Art