Attention all Agents

 

For anyone who has not been tuning in to the latest from 1931 we are happy to announce that the inaugural ShadowCon will take place at the 2026 Pulpfest convention to celebrate pulpdom's most famous and influential hero.  Yep, The Shadow will celebrate 95 years of fighting the good fight and bringing thrills and chills to generations of fans.  Tim "Don't Mess With The" King is spearheading this event with some others carrying out his orders.  As more information becomes available this blog will pass it along.  In the meantime keep checking in with Pulpfest 2026 for more than just The Shadow.  DocCon XXII, ERBFest 2026 & FarmerCon XXI, stalwarts of the convention will be there as well.  

As we approach the 100th anniversary of The Shadow Magazine we hope to keep this an annual event that draws from not only the pulp but the radio, film and comics versions of The Dark Eagle.   

Always remember...

We will never forget the sacrifices that so many made so that the rest of us can enjoy our freedom.

Happy Easter, agents of The Shadow

 

Keep your hands off of The Shadow's Easter basket!

94 and counting

Happy Birthday, Dark Eagle!  We could all use a little justice about now!
 

Merry Christmas, agents

 Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!  Under The Blue Light wishes all the agents of The Shadow and fans of pulp and Old Time Radio the most hopeful and joy filled Christmas ever.  Enjoy the company of family and friends.  Or just the company of a great pulp story while your pet curls up at your feet in front of a crackling fire.  However you choose to celebrate this day, may it be peaceful and meaningful.

Haul from Pulpfest 2024

 As John recently said... Kid in a candy store.  That's exactly how I felt going from dealer to dealer to find additions to my very small collection of original Shadow pulps.

This is my damaged edition of "The Silent Seven" from Pyramid.  I know you can't see it, but I was lucky enough to have Mr. James Steranko sign it to me.  Even better, Tim King and I got to spend several hours talking about many things ranging from Houdini to Mr. Miracle to classic illustrators and a few other things.

We shared a table with Will Murray and sold a few editions of The Shadowed Circle Compendium.  Even signed a few.  I was able to spend some time picking Will's brain as well as Gary Buckingham, a Tarzan author.  Met some great fans and even touched base with Chuck Welch, the publisher of The Bronze Gazette.  All in all, a really great time with some like minded people.

I may post some of my non Shadow haul later.

Remember why we celebrate

 Be safe and take the time to appreciate all that we have.  Happy Independence Day, agents.

Happy New Year... 2023 edition

 

Happiest of New Year wishes, agents.  May 2023 be our best yet.

"Shadow -- Go Mad!"

 This looks like they just used Rozen's paintings as inspiration rather than straight up copying it.  The result?  Boring...

"Mark of The Shadow"

 Looks as though "Murder For Sale" was the cover used as the basis for this illustration.  I'm sure that's where the similarities stop.

 

"The Shadow's Revenge"

 Not a bad interpretation of this classic cover...

 

However, I prefer the two fisted gunplay depicted in the original image.  I'm sure that the cover is the best part of this novel.

"The Whispering Eyes"

 And so we come to the finale of the great pulp magazine juggernaut, The Shadow.  The cover feels sad, to me at least.  Of course I hate the yellow background, that's a given.  But it just feels empty.  The mystery is gone from the rendering of our hero.  The strong colors that denoted weird and scary are gone.  A slight green cast to the left side of his face is there but so muted.  The collar is down and his face seems much wider, as if he's aged.  The cover mirrors the adventure contained within, middle of the road without the hoped for punch.  And the fact that Washing Mews, the white cat, is nearly as prominent as The Dark Eagle on this, his final issue, really feels like there wasn't much interest in giving the faithful fans a true grand sendoff. 

"The Black Circle"

 Classic symbolic cover from George Rozen with The Shadow towering over the cityscape and literally crushing crime in his bare hands!  The crumbling building to the right of the viewer is intriguing and something I don't recall being a part of the covers before.  It feels a bit like an Avenger touch.

  This is the penultimate issue of The Shadow.  Did Gibson know his return would be so short lived?  I don't know.  Was bringing back the original creative team of Gibson and Rozen and a return to the good ol' days (large format and longer stories) really meant to save the magazine or was it meant as a respectful way to say good-bye to the character that created a cottage industry and made Street & Smith such a publishing powerhouse.  A farewell to a character that just didn't fit in with the shiny new world of the oncoming 1950s.  If that is the case, then Thank You.  I would like to think that S & S gave their flagship one last glorious cruise before consigning it to the scrapyards.

"The Magigals Mystery"

 Lady magicians.  Aggressive geese.  A life size crystal skull (I'm looking at youse guys, Lucas and Spielberg). Walter Gibson makes a cameo.  Yep, all the stops pulled out as Gibson indulges in his passion for magic.  For me, the cover is odd and static.  After that great cover for "Dead Man's Chest" this one just falls flat.  The Shadow is rendered well but everything else feels soft and not very dangerous.  Through in the dreaded yellow background and it just doesn't... what am I saying?  After though wretched covers we were handed for the Elliott tales and some of the stuff that preceded it?  Thank you, George.  I'll take your lesser efforts over that stuff any day of the week!

"Dead Man's Chest"

Yes!  The final piece to the puzzle!  The team is back to full strength with the addition of George Rozen doing the covers.  Coupled with Walter's writing The Shadow is going out in style.  Let's appreciate this cover for what it represents.  Not only is it very well done but it proves the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".  The turmoil that went on behind the scenes of this magazine, this icon of publishing, will probably never be entirely understood.  Sure times were changing, people's tastes were moving in a different direction.  Shaking up the editorial staff?  Bad idea.  Letting Gibson go over money... terrible decision.  Seriously, Patterson was probably paid more to have his name plastered on that heinous book that Gibson made over the lifetime of his association with the character that, let's face it, he created.  There are only three more issues left, so let's drink in this wonderful attempt at regaining the former glory of the hero we love.

"Jade Dragon"

 Done are the digests!  Gone is Bruce Elliott!  Cranston takes a backseat to the true star of the story.  The Shadow is back, baby!  When this issue hit the stands the answer to why the return was stated by none other than W. J. De Grouchy himself.  "Nostalgia! That's the key theme of the age.... The office mail, of which there is much, clearly tells us that you want the old SHADOW back again. So here he is in all his glory, with all his agents, in his oldest most beloved setting - Chinatown in San Francisco." Like Star Trek 20 years into the future, the fans spoke and their beloved hero was saved.  However, like Star Trek, it would prove to be short lived.  But we can be thrilled to know that The Shadow went down swinging and ended with a bang!  This, then, is the first of the final five issues penned by Gibson.

  "Crime began with the Jade Dragon, which Prince Tsai Hsun brought to America long ago. When an importer's assistant purchased the jewel in San Francisco's Chinatown, death occurred to the shop owner shortly afterward by an assassin's hand. And now the assistant's life was in danger too.

  The Shadow becomes involved with the case and, with the help of G-Man Vic Marquette, the two uncover a jade smuggling racket." - The Shadow Wiki 

This story was also republished in 1981 along with "House of Ghosts" by Doubleday Crime Club.

"Reign of Terror"

 I'm just going to direct you to the review by John Olsen over at that wonderful resource, The Shadow in Review.  This is, thankfully, the final "effort" by Bruce Elliott.  And since it's Thanksgiving I want to give a bit of an out for Mr. Elliott and his interpretation of our hero.  The editorial staff was in upheaval and trying to modernize a character that didn't need to be changed.  I encourage you to pull out your copy of "The Night Master" by Robert Sampson and read up on what was going on behind the scenes.  I'm sure the author was directed to embrace the radio version which was mostly Lamont Cranston themed and write more "sophisticated" tales.  The problem?  It didn't work.  And now, with this issue, it's over.  Walter is back, if only for five more pulp stories. 

"Murder on Main Street"

 "There's no sign of The Shadow in this story. No sly reference. No passing comment. Nothing. It's as if The Shadow didn't exist, except for the name on the masthead of the magazine. What could the editors at Street & Smith could have been thinking? Had they no clue what their readers expected? And these were supposed to be seasoned businessmen and women.

If you're looking for a Shadow story... this ain't it. If you're looking for just a good mystery... this ain't it, either. Even if you try to look at this as strictly a murder mystery having nothing to do with The Shadow, it still fails. On any level, it's a story that will waste your time when you have better ways to spend it." - The Shadow in Review

14 down... tomorrow will truly be a Thanksgiving as we will be showcasing the final Bruce Elliott abomination.

"The Television Murders"

A television mystery that comes true... thousands of people actually see a man being shot (but with the wrong bullet!) as a sinister plot is woven into a television drama... a plot that wasn't in the script. Then there was a second murder - also daring. In the subway - at rush hour - in full view of the crowds. Here was a killer who liked publicity... and here was a case for none other than... Lamont Cranston! - The Shadow Wiki

"Ten Glass Eyes"

 The only mystery is where is The Shadow in this one?  Perhaps he was too embarrassed to make an appearance.