Return Of The Shadow!

We wrap up a month full of The Shadow with Walter Gibson's final novel Return of The Shadow. This adventure was written and published in 1963, long after the Street and Smith outfit had retired the original magazine. Belmont was as paperback publisher and wanted to revive the character and engaged the original writer Gibson for the task. Sadly, the deal proved to be less lucrative for Gibson than Belmont originally promised, and he backed away after only a single entry, which was used to kick off the brief run of nine additional Shadow yarns. Return of The Shadow supposedly is only a single draft by Gibson, yet given his talents that still means a thoroughly entertaining outing. 

The story is set in the Hudson Valley to begin with, and we follow both Harry Vincent and Lamont Cranston as they try and track down the murderer of a successful businessman. His family and associates are of course suspect and much of the early parts of the novel are spend tracking down and establishing timelines. Harry for his part also finds himself driven off a road and seemingly killed early in the story for reasons which only become clear later when a larger plot to kidnap and replace United Nations members is uncovered. Much if not all of the Shadow team are called upon to contribute to the solution of this mystery which ends in a mad fracas. 

Here is a dandy graphic showcasing the covers of the various Shadow novels Belmont released. The Belmont operation was owned by the same folks who owned Archie Comics which was releasing a Shadow comic at about this same time. These goofy Shadow noveks look like fun, and I wish someone would reprint them all. After Gibson's departure from the project the editors employed the prolific Dennis Lynds who became the latest "Maxwell Grant". Note that the debut novel is by Walter B. Gibson and not "Maxwell Grant", the only time Gibson's name was used on the over three hundred Shadow novels he produced. And with that we wave farewell The Shadow. It's been a blast this past October month and I'm already looking forward to November when another pulp icon rears up to confront ancient evil in an antique land. 

Happy Halloween my fellow Shadow fans! 

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