"The Star and the Twisted Cross" page 24

A grim bolt of laughter pierces the brightening day, to hang on the air like damp fog...

and then, like a cheshire grin, it fades.

The End

"The Ribbon Clues"

 Originally titled "Xerxes", a reference to the steamship featured in this story and probably on this cover.  And a very pulpish cover it is.  However, the title they settled on worked much better for this novel.  A pretty good adventure it turned out to be, too.  I enjoy stories with mysterious clews and this one has a nifty one in regards to the 'ribbon clues'.  Give this one a read, you'll enjoy it.

As a note of interest, The Shadow is not referred to as 'Ying Ko' while in Chinatown although it was established in "Fate Joss" that he is know as such to the Chinese underworld.  Why?  Well, Street and Smith often published stories out of the order in which Gibson wrote them and he wrote this story ahead of "Fate Joss".  This is one of the reasons I read them in the order Gibson submitted them.

"The Star and the Twisted Cross" page 23

"The weed of tyranny bears bitter fruit..."

"The London Crimes"

A nice enough cover for a really good adventure of The Shadow.  I have to say that I'm surprised that The Thriller magazine didn't reprint this one since it already takes place in ye olde England.  The Shadow stalking the fog enshrouded streets of London town, can it get any better?  And a villain that goes by the moniker The Harvester?  Gee whiz, I'm all in... are you?

"The Star and the Twisted Cross" page 22

"YOU--!"

"Mardi Gras Mystery"

This cover never did much for me.  It's a good design, in the 'Where's Waldo' sense but it just didn't feel sinister or mysterious or even like there may be an adventure inside.  The story was good enough but I never really got into it.  Could have been external distractions or something like that so don't let me sway you from reading this one.  Of note, Lieutenant Wayson of the New Orleans Police Department reappears for his second and final time.  He first showed up in "Cyro" from just a few issues prior.

"The Star and the Twisted Cross" page 21

"DIE--SWINE!"