Avenger Saturday presents: "Death in Slow Motion"

 Okay, this is probably the most boring cover in the series so far.  Strangely static and posed.

"The Death Giver" by Steranko

 Except for the pink background of the masthead this is a super de duper cover.  Just exciting all around.  Well done and a great illustration to end the reprint series on.  Of course, I would've loved to have gotten another twenty three or three hundred two but that just wasn't in the cards.  Steranko's efforts really added to the history of The Shadow and I for one am grateful that he painted these wonderful covers.

ON THE AIR: November 1, 1942

 After a petty crook is told that he has only six months to live, he decides to do what he never had the guts to do and goes on a killing spree, a spree that includes Lamont Cranston and Margot Lane as targets.  A classic.  End 2022 with your feet up and an Ovaltine in your hand and enjoy "Death Keeps A Deadline".

"The Silent Death" by Steranko

 This image is kinda pulled from the pages of the novel.  There was no damsel in distress (it wouldn't look all that appealing to have Cliff Marsland or Clyde Burke trapped inside the giant test tube of death.  I love this cover (except for the return of the powder blue suit and hat) and think that this would have looked marvelous on the cover of April 1, 1933's pulp offering.  Still, the original Rozen piece is a classic.  Can't go wrong with either.

"Aloha" page 10

 

"A story of doomed love, and..."

"The Wealth Seeker" by Steranko

Another exciting cover that really pushes the story past Gibson's intentions.  At least The Shadow ain't sporting a powder blue costume.  The overall purple hued palette really makes the crimson lining make more sense as it has a magenta look to it.  Seems that this would be a better choice for the necessity of blending into the shadows.

"Aloha" page 9

 

"Mine eyes have been opened, keed."

"Charg, Monster" by Steranko

 This is not one of my favorites by J. S.. It feels too much like the 70s and 80s Iron Man, a metal suit that has a bit too much flexibility.  There is no way that the "monster" of the 30s could have looked like this.  And again with the soft blue costume!  Nope, not a winner in my book.

"Aloha" page 8

 

"A great storm is coming."

"Zemba" by Steranko

 

Very dramatic and action-packed illustration for this, the 19th reprint from the Pyramid/ HBJove series.  I like that he didn't even try to compete with the Rozen image.  This doesn't foretell anything major as the original pulp did and thus relies solely on the deadly intrigue displayed on the small cover. 

"Aloha" page 6 & 7

 

"Hula was all I had of the world before words."

"Murder Trail" by Steranko

 Super cool cover.  So very pulp.  My only gripe with this (and others) is the blue outfit/costume.  I know, I know, it reads better as a piece of art but it's so very blue that it almost feels like there is no way he's not a postman!  Still, great cover.

"Aloha"page 5

 

"The family... the family... I hope the family is pleased..."

Merry Christmas

 The Mistletoe of Death seems a bit over the top for Christmas.  But it is The Shadow after all...

Anyhow, Merry Christmas to all the agents who stop by and I hope you are having a fun day with family and friends, celebrating the reason for the season in the manner that best suits you.

The Sunday Comics: The Shadow Conquers Crime in Centralba page 5

 

"I certainly am, Margo.  I'm going to follow Ruy del Ruy as The Shadow!"

Avenger Saturday presents: "Nevlo"

 I like this cover better than the last couple.  Well painted and a really nice palette.  The stalactite falling as a result of the gunman creates some dramatic tension to this one.  An uninspired title, however.

"Fingers of Death" by Steranko

 Another excellent cover from J. S.  A little spicier than the actual tale but pulpy enough to whet the appetite for another adventure with The Shadow.

ON THE AIR: October 25, 1942

There was one more episode to end the 1941/42 season that is missing.  To start the 1942/43 season we are missing four episodes.  So we jump right into "The Mystery of Madman's Deep".  A pretty good episode that gets Lamont into a deep sea diving suit.  Sit back on this Christmas Eve and dive into the depths of yet another adventure with Lamont, Margot and The Shadow.

"The Shadow's Shadow" by Steranko

 Great cover, just not as prescient as the original Rozen painting.  This just illustrates the title where the other foreshadowed (heh) the actual tale.  However, I prefer this one just because it is so nicely done.

"Aloha" page 4

 

"Poor Mr. Roland.  So sad... so hopeless..."

Classic Steranko

 Another winner for Pyramid.  Pretty action packed cover with a ton of implied violence.  Two against one.  A blackjack.  A meat hook.  The Shadow apparently in a situation that means certain death!  Steranko strikes again!

"Aloha" page 3

 

"Margo, if you please!"

"The Creeping Death" by Steranko

 It's interesting that one of the most famous pulp covers is Rozen's "The Creeping Death" with the skeletal figure of Death coming through the curtains.  However, the previous paperback had The Shadow coming from behind curtains (see yesterday's post for "Green Eyes") so it appears that Steranko found inspiration in another classic cover... "The Book of Death".  A very nice homage to that cover from Mr. Steranko.

"Aloha" page 2

 

"Oh, my.  Oh my.  It is!"

"Green Eyes" by Steranko

 Another iconic cover from Jim Steranko!  I think I drew this cover over and over so many times that I lost count.  There is nothing that could improve this illustration, just perfect.

"Aloha" page 1

 

"...and a single minor errand."

"Shadowed Millions" by Steranko

This was the first Pyramid paperback I bought and this cover will always have a place in my heart.  It's terrific and very pulpy.

 This one ain't quite up to the first one.  I think H B Jove was trying to spice things up with having women on the covers.  Apparently they never read the stories themselves.  Not a bad cover, just not in the iconic realm of the original from Pyramid.

"Aloha"

 It appears that The Shadow is about to take a vacation.  Just as long as he remembers... Death never takes a holiday!

"Kings of Crime" by Steranko

The eleventh novel reissued by Pyramid features another pulpy cover by Steranko.  The bony hand of Fate/Death offering a loaded hand of murder and mayhem.  The Shadow counters with his own trump card of death.  Death to those who would bring crime and chaos to his city!  I don't even mind the yellow background.  Wonderful cover! 

 The reissue (of the reissue) from H B Jove is nowhere near as compelling or interesting.  Too much information going on in this one.  I wonder if J S had less of a free hand and was being directed more.  This just looks like a committee decided on this layout.

The Sunday Comics: The Shadow Conquers Crime in Centralba page 4

 

"Peridor's friends always collapse when Castenago appoints them to anything.  That's his way of marking them for death!"

"The Silent Seven" by Steranko

 This is the one!  My favorite cover from Steranko.  This also is one of my absolute favorite image by any artist of The Shadow.  I can find nothing wrong.  The eeriness!  The design/composition!  The technique! The color palette!  All spot on.  This is a truly spectacular painting.

Avenger Saturday presents: "The Hate Master"

 These last few covers just don't have the uniqueness of the first thirteen.  They now look like any other adventure magazine.  Unfortunate.  This feels a bit over the top what with our hero (I assume that's The Avenger in the grey turtleneck) dropping an anvil on this fellow's neck.

ON THE AIR: March 15, 1942

 Island savages.  Deceit.  Peril galore.  Another vacation gone awry for Margot and Lamont.  Set sail for Altar of Death.

"The Romanoff Jewels" by Steranko

  Another tremendous cover that harkens back to the pulp days.  The Shadow is injured yet he fights on!  The color palette is perfect.  No bright yellows (save for the title) or garish hues used to grab the eye of the casual shopper.  This is how I think of The Shadow when I read the adventures.  This is one of my all time favorite tales so this art really holds a high spot on my chart of great Shadow images.

   It was reissued with this cover.  Very nice but nowhere near as spot-on as the original that Steranko turned in.

"The Swords of Shiwan Khan!: The Depths" page 25

 

"MARGO!  You're alive!"

 A really moody cover.  The purple shadow screams pulp since with a green palette it just wouldn't happen.  Also, the light source is kind of all over the place.  All of that matters not, since the image is really cool.

"The Swords of Shiwan Khan!: The Depths" page 24

 

"The Shadow... tells no one... anything."

"The Swords of Shiwan Khan!: The Depths" page 23

 

 

"And I want to know who the hell you are!"

"The Red Menace" by Steranko

 Ahhhh, The Red Menace!  Wonderful cover for a really important novel.  This is really great pulp art.  Steranko nailed this one.

"The Crime Cult" by Steranko

 This is the one that came out on stands.  It was switched later for the one that was meant for this story...

... this one.  Like I said on Sunday, I like the top one better.

"The Swords of Shiwan Khan!: The Depths" page 22

 

"<His gods are false! Mine are true! I serve the only true god of the modern world!>"

"The Swords of Shiwan Khan!: The Depths" page 21

 

"What has happened to that stillness of heart that made you so deadly?"

"Double Z" by Steranko

 Ah, better.  This has the feel of action and storytelling.  The tropes are there.  The one eyed skull.  The smokewagon.  Men of evil challenging The Shadow.  The orange even works.  Yep, I like this one.

"Hands in the Dark" by Steranko

 Nice action scene although it really wasn't in the story.  I always preferred the cover that originally appeared on the Pyramid edition.  Sure, it was a mistake and was meant for another book, but I think it was a much cooler image.

We'll be revisiting this in a couple posts...

The Sunday Comics: The Shadow Conquers Crime in Centralba page 3

 

"Sorry, old chap..."