Enjoy this Thanksgiving with the ones most important to you

 Turkey and people you can count on.  What more is there?  Happy Thanksgiving, agents.

"The Devil Master"

  "Which is the more powerful? One who burrows deep into the ground, or one who vanishes off into the air? Which is the more dangerous: the beast that growls from its den, or the creature that lurks where it may stalk its prey? Both Su Yeng and Prince Yeddo have similar designs. Each can recuperate, and begin a new campaign. Both will menace you, Tam, because they know you are my friend." - The Shadow

If I hadn't read the review by John Olsen I would have judged this by it's cover.  I think it's a bit too much like Doc Savage.  A bit too sci-fi.  But John straightened me out and rates this as one of the best stories of 1941, along with The Chinese Primrose.  The cover is well done, I just don't like seeing The Shadow in overly unbelievable situations.  If you choose to read the review be forewarned... there is a spoiler involved.

"Gems of Doom"

 

"We can't quit now! Dead or alive, we are sworn to carry out the orders of The Shadow.  He told us what he wanted. Are you quitting or coming along with me?" - Margo Lane 

 

Mr. X!  Princess Zena!  The Colonel!  This story was published just three months before America entered the war but Europe had been embroiled for quite some time.  These evil foreign criminals would have been part and parcel of the consciousness of the American reader from newspapers to radio programmes.  (I presume that Princess Zena is no relation to Xena: Warrior Princess).  This is a Tinsley tale and he has no qualms about making a woman just as vile as a man!  As Billy Joel wrote; "She's so good with her stiletto, you don't even see the blade".

Another pretty good Gladney cover.  Very pulpy.

"The Shadow Meets The Mask"

 Police Commissioner and ace inspector, both representatives of the law, were staring at the face of the bold killer who had delivered open death! It's frozen expression, the fact that mouthed words had brought no lip motion, was proof that the face was false. Masked murder had been done in the very presence of the law! If the law was powerless to uncover this frozen-faced fiend, could The Shadow unmask the Mask? 

This was the first of two unrelated novels to share the title.  Judging by the cover art and the review by Mr. Olsen, this is the better of the two.  And speaking of the cover it looks as though Gladney was starting to round into his own.  Nice composition and nice finish.  He just makes our hero a bit too human for my tastes.

"The Crimson Death"

 "Shane is innocent. One of you three men is guilty. To the guilty man, I say now - confess! Your name is known, your motive is known. You were too clever for the police. But not too clever for - The Shadow!" - The Shadow

Ah, now this is a wonderful Gladney cover.  That skeleton is just terrific and the composition, though a bit cramped, works really well.  I wish he had made The Shadow paler and thrown more (heh) shadows on his face.  Still, a really solid cover that showcases a solid story from Tinsley. 

"The Blur"

 

"Where he comes and where he goes, only he - The Shadow - knows!" - The Shadow

 

This cover borders on comic book.  I probably would take a pass on this story if I only had the cover to judge by.  However I have John over at The Shadow in Review and he says it's a clever and fun story.  That's good 'nuff fer me.  And speaking of comic books...

 

This issue features not only a simplified adaptation of "The Blur" but also "Death in the Crystal" and "The Chest of Chu Chan"

"The Star of Delhi"

 An okay cover.  I would rather have seen The Shadow with his hands around the throat of his attacker, as if he was giving as good as he got.  At least have him trying to pry the choke hold loose.  Plus the aim of the police officer is atrocious.  That bullet is gonna whiz behind the big guy and do no harm.

This tale has Gibson trying to give an explanation as to The Shadow's supposed power of invisibility.

"Using the system of remaining absolutely immobile, with even his thoughts fixed, The Shadow was practicing the ways of the Tibetan mystics.

"It was their belief that such concentration could produce the equivalent of invisibility. Through experience, The Shadow had demonstrated that complete immobility did reduce an observer's chances to almost nil.

"It produced the semblance of a power through which he could cloud men's minds; and many of The Shadow's enemies had sworn that he had suddenly appeared in the midst of a lighted room before their startled eyes.

"Only a few could claim that they had seen The Shadow vanish, for the simple reason that it was much more difficult the other way about. Though The Shadow could fade rapidly into darkness, he required ideal conditions if he sought to remain on the very ground, unnoticed. Once crooks saw The Shadow, their minds became too excited to be readily quieted."

Gibson must have felt that he needed to delineate the differences between the radio version and the pulp iteration.  A nice nod to the other guy.

"The Thunder King"

I haven't read this one but I'm guessing that the woman in the background is Margo given that this is the first pulp appearance of Agent Lane.  This isn't a bad cover at all, just not up to the level of Rozen.  The story was simplified and included in the November 1943 issue of Shadow Comics.

"Crime Under Cover"

 "Crime was in the making in the nation's capital! Could The Shadow stop plans for death and disaster before it was too late?" - The Shadow Wiki 

It seems that the best aspect to this issue is the cover and that's not saying a lot.  Oh, it's painted well enough, it's just that there is a static quality to it that feels staged, rather than designed.  And the cute gimmick of the upturned corner of the cover does little to create interest.  The Shadow in Review ranks this as one of Gibson's lesser efforts of any year.  Now, that doesn't mean one of you agents won't find it fascinating but I just put it out there as a caveat.

"The League of Death"

"The league is a group of young men who are murdering wealthy industrialists... and then committing suicide! Yes, double death: death to their victims, and death to themselves. Truly a league of death!" - The Shadow in Review

A better cover than the previous effort, although I really don't like how he has rendered the likeness of The Shadow.  Gladney's style is evolving, whether that is a good thing or not is up to everyone's personal taste.  My taste runs towards Rozen.

"The House on the Ledge"

 Boring title with a static cover.  Gladney tried to put action in this but it just looks... odd.  A knife flying out of a crook's hand from The Shadow whacking him with his .45.  In the meantime he seems to be gently disarming the dapper crook with his left hand.  Fine, I can deal with that.  But what is that large putty colored gap below Dapper Dan's right arm?  Is that the wall?  Did Gladney just forget to paint it?  Sheesh.  At least The Shadow in Review says it is decent tale for 1941.

"The Time Master"

 10th Anniversary!  Huge deal.  So big they had to use 10 images of The Shadow on the cover.  A Decade of Death to Evildoers.  The title sure makes it sound like one of the radio adventures, but it is not.  No, The Time Master is merely a master of split second timing in the commission of his crimes.  A fun story with a fun cover.

"The White Column"

 "The Shadow battles saboteurs! Five Nazi agents parachute from the sky to cripple the rearmament efforts of a free America and soften her up for invasion by land, sea and air. A secret vigilante organization is formed. They call themselves the White Column.

But there was trouble with this secret White Column. It was designed to attract honest men who sincerely wanted to rid the country of Fifth Columnists. But the White Column was not a patriotic vigilante society at all. The White Column was actually a front for the saboteurs, organized by the Fifth Columnists. Patriotic citizens were being exploited by the very foes they were trying to punish! Only The Shadow could take on and defeat these foes of democracy.

This Shadow pulp novel was, quite probably, the best Shadow adventure published in 1941. It's got mile-a-minute thrills. It's got flag-waving action. It's got a mystery mastermind who controls the five foreign agents. It's got amazing death traps. It's got sinister Nazi spies. Death. Destruction. Blood and guts. Whew! It just doesn't get much better." - John Olsen, The Shadow in Review 

   A pretty exciting cover from Gladney.  Does The Shadow have no nerve endings in his hand?  Perhaps the horrible disfiguration that left him with a "horror face" damaged the nerves in other parts of his body.  Or maybe Graves just wanted to show the reader what a tough guy The Shadow is.  Either way, it's a pretty great image.  I love the rolled eyes of the hooded bad guy as he absorbs a killing shot from the ever present smokewagon!  

"Mansion of Crime"

 If there had been a decent background on this one I could get behind it.  Eh, it's okay.  The story, however, gets a recommendation from John over at his "The Shadow in Review" site.  So give it a go, agents.

"The Chinese Primrose"

 For some reason I always think of "The Living Shadow" cover by Modest Stein when I see this.  Boy oh boy, that green skin tone on the Chinese character... how times have changed.  The story must have had a little something to it as it was simplified into a 1947 tale in Shadow Comics.

"The Wasp Returns"

 "Come, come, Cranston! If you can't become enthusiastic, at least show some appreciation for The Shadiow. He is really quite a clever chap!" - Ralph Weston

Ralph Weston sure has changed his tune in the ensuing decade since the Man in Black appeared on magazine racks across America.  This is the second appearance of The Wasp and marks the final time The Shadow will face a recurring foe.  The cover is fun even if the setting is seemingly broad daylight.  I wonder how Bama would handle this exact composition and layout.  Monochromatic?  Deep purples with a blue highlight?  Super tight rendering, for sure.  Still, a pretty nice cover.

"The Green Terror"

"Why did you disobey the rules? You know the rules. Every bank in the city received a copy of them after that first robbery with the fear-ray machine. You were under strict orders not to admit any depositor to the bank who carried a suitcase, a box, or a parcel of any kind larger than six inches square. Why did you break that rule?" - Joe Cardona

  Four vicious men run an insurance racket -- an insurance of crime! An inventor who is developing a fear-ray as a war invention, is persuaded by one of the racketeers to turn the ray to crime, and to kill off his other three partners.  The fear ray! It's green and it strikes terror within anyone in its path. Fear that paralyzes the victim into immobility. When The Shadow confronts this sinister force, will he be able to resist its power? 

  A pretty  decent cover, nice color and an appealing composition.  Simple and well done. 

"Forgotten Gold"

And so 1941 begins with a routine tale that sports a pretty decent cover.  Action packed and well composed.  I always appreciate when the image breaks over the logo.  I wonder what it would have looked like with a yellow logo...

Hmmm, I like it.  The logo becomes the light source that rim lights our hero.

"The Shadow, The Hawk and The Skull"

 I always see Jim Carrey's 'The Mask' when I see this cover.  I bet this one caught the attention of more than a few casual readers but for me it's just a so-so cover.  I am, however, intrigued by the title and the green guy.  John says it's a fun and interesting tale that has two bad guys team up to take on our hero.  Alone they are each a match for The Shadow.  Together?  Perhaps this is the end for... nah.

"Xitli, God of Fire"

 I have always thought this looked more like a Doc Savage cover than a The Shadow.  Of course the man in black is featured but the native assassin attacking just feels like Baumhofer and Dent.  Still, a fun cover that probably brought in a lot of business from the casual reader.

A simplified version of this story appeared in the same issue of Shadow Comics as Shiwan Khan about a year and a half later.  Must have been an adventure laden tale to translate to comics.