Thursday, December 31, 2015

The Blackmail King

Odd cover, in my opinion, with The Shadow in broad daylight (one of my pet peeves).  The vehicle in yellow (another one of my problems with a few of the covers, as well) with an awning?  Strange adventures indeed.  The tale is one I have yet to read so I refer you to this review.  This cover would never have made me excited to read what lies within its pages.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Monday, December 28, 2015

My Shadow Haul-iday

I treated myself to a few things from Amazon among which were the Shout Factory remaster of the 1994 Baldwin film and The Sinister Shadow by Will Murray (as well as  Frank Eisgruber's "Gangland's Doom: The Shadow of the Pulps" & Rick Lai's "Chronology of Shadows"... yet to arrive).  However, I did not expect the shirt and mug from Cafe Press nor the wonderful little book by John Olsen.  A very Shadowy Christmas for me.  My wife got me the Whodunits book and I thought it complimented the theme quite well.  Here's hoping all of The Shadow's agents had a wonderful holiday and that the new year is looking bright, for as we all know there is no light without Shadow!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Merry Christmas to all the good little agents out there

Remember, he knows if you've been bad or good.

The Lone Tiger

A lot of fun to see many of the agents gathered polished table under the blue light in the sanctum.  I have to admit that I have yet to read this one so Mr. Olsen's review is what I turn to.  He says it's a fun one to read and I'll take his word for it.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

The Hydra

Feels like a comic book cover to me.  If Alex Ross had done this I could see the tommy gun in a spraying motion trying to mow down all of The Shadows surrounding him.  Not really up there with my favorites but it certainly ain't the worst.  I have yet to read the story so I have to rely on the review from the ever handy "The Shadow in Review".  According to J. O. this is one tale not to miss.  This is what caught my attention... "Read how the two Cranstons work together. Read how Margo Lane met Cranston and The Shadow."  With the history of The Dark Eagle so changed since the magazine folded in '49 by creators such as Chaykin, the '94 film and the subsequent comic series (most recently the Dynamite product), it will be nice to read how the master introduced Margo into the mythos.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Friday, December 18, 2015

The Black Hush

The most iconic cover.  As I've said before I had a t-shirt with this image on it (iron on transfer... the 70's baby!) which is how I made friends with my oldest and best friend.  He had the same shirt.  Anyhow, I absolutely love this image.  So simple and with that green light cast on his face it is the template for the renderings to come.  Thanks to Anthony Tollin I have gotten to read this one (recommended) but if you haven't then check out this review.   Below is the homage cover by Jim Steranko that introduced a new generation of fans to The Shadow.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Late clew

Easy.  I apologize for the late posting but I just got both systems up and running.  Now the Sanctum can run like normal.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Voodoo Death

Nice enough cover for a digest although I don't like the rendering of The Shadow.  Like Agent T I read this back in the 70's when it was part of a hardcover book with three tales of The Shadow (Grove of Doom, Murder by Moonlight & Voodoo Death).  Thank God for public libraries!  I don't remember this one or Murder by Moonlight so I will have to rely on this review to refresh my memory.

Monday, December 14, 2015

Friday, December 11, 2015

Thursday, December 10, 2015

The Shadow's Shadow

I love this cover if only for how thin and spectral The Shadow looks.  I read this back in high school when HBJove reprinted it.  I loved it then and look forward to reading it again in the new reprints from Sanctum Press.  I also love this cover from when I was first introduced to this great adventure.  Just not as much.

Monday, December 7, 2015

The Wealth Seeker

I like this cover for it's intimacy.  Wish her weren't holding his cloak up that way, looks like he's coming in from the cold.  I read this when it was reissued in the 70s.  I prefer the original cover to the Steranko illustration although the latter is much more exciting.


Thursday, December 3, 2015

The Voodoo Master

I agree, Agent T, that Dr. Rodil Mocquino is the best arch villain in the series.  And this is truly one of the iconic covers not only in the magazines run but of any various publications down through the decades.  Pretty impressive when one knows the time constraints that faced the illustrators back in the day vs. the later illustrators who had far more time to conceptualize book covers or even comic book covers.  If you haven't read this one (and shame on you if you haven't) then check out this review to whet your appetite and get you running to the reprint sitting on your bookshelf.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Take a shot at this clew


Sometimes the only way to deal with a problem is to unload your .45 into it.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

The Rackets King

You are right, Agent T.  In fact your assessment of the cover mirrors my own so... "OK cover, one of the first SHADOW pulps I (Agent T) owned. Well-done, but that automatic looks pretty puny in The Shadow's hand, doesn't it? But, hey, the RING! No longer recall the story; it's been 30 years...".  If you, like Agent T., no longer recall the story or have never read this tale then check out this review.