Ambush Buggery!

I picked up the Ambush Bug Showcase volume on a whim and promptly set it aside. The artwork by Keith Giffen and Bob Oksner really looked choice and I wanted to savor it a bit. I never read any of these comics (save possibly for the DC Comics Presents issues) when they first appeared, so I came to the Ambush Bug character largely ignorant of its style and content. I knew it was supposed to be funny, but that's about all I knew. I was very impressed.

Now truth told, when Ambush Bug first appeared as a low-level villain in a few issues of Superman's team-up comic he was cleverly written but hardly transformative.

He seemed to be a character in the vein of many of the classic Bat-villains, a killer with a morbid sense of humor. And if he'd stayed like that I suspect he'd be mostly forgotten by now.

But in a trio of appearances in Action Comics, the character blossomed into the antic fourth-wall breaking roustabout who went on to scratch out a few limited series in some of DC's brightest days.

If you haven't read these "adventures" then it's difficult to describe. Keith Giffen and Robert Loren Fleming have so deconstructed the superhero comic book adventure in these stories so as to undermine any attempt by a reader to extract enjoyment on that level. The only thing I can compare these Ambush Bug stories to is Monty Python's Flying Circus. The pacing felt the same and the unpredictability of page after page seemed more than anything to mimic the antic pacing of that classic comedy show.

In the first limited series we meet Ambush Bug's partner Cheeks the Toy Wonder (a plush toy and nominal inspiration for one of the earliest and most entertaining websites devoted to comics that I ever chanced upon) and having him meet up with the likes of Scabbard (from Thriller), Jonni DC (made into a chick--sort of) and most hilariously Darkseid.

What follows in the subsequent specials and limited series is more of the same, more or less. With DC, and superheroes in general getting the satirical crap beat out of them in fine form.

I found Ambush Bug a fun fun read, but for comics fanboys only I suspect.

Rip Off

The Books Of Bronze!

Thanks to Anthony Tollin's Sanctum Books I have finally at long last fulfilled a lifelong dream and read the whole of the original canon of Street and Smith's Doc Savage pulp series. I loved the Marvel Comics adaptations and got those as they appeared. I picked up a few paperbacks when I was young, but never really pursued it with any gusto. When I checked into collecting them, I despaired ever finding them all.  It has taken ten long years, but with an average of two novels a month thanks to Tollin's heroic publishing efforts, I have finally accomplished that goal with the reading of the final volume and the final original story Up From Earth's Center. It was not some master plan which allowed me to complete the project of ten years on my birthday, but I do find some small meaning in that. It's a grand way to celebrate yet another year on the planet.

My COMPLETED DOC SAVAGE NOVELS READING LIST:

Mar. 1933 The Man of Bronze
Apr. 1933 The Land of Terror
May. 1933 Quest of the Spider
Jun. 1933 The Polar Treasure
Jul. 1933 Pirate of the Pacific
Aug. 1933 The Red Skull
Sep. 1933 The Lost Oasis
Oct. 1933 The Sargasso Ogre
Nov. 1933 The Czar of Fear
Dec. 1933 The Phantom City

Jan. 1934 Brand of the Werewolf
Feb. 1934 The Man Who Shook the Earth
Mar. 1934 Meteor Menace
Apr. 1934 The Monsters
May. 1934 The Mystery on the Snow
Jun. 1934 The King Maker
Jul. 1934 The Thousand-Headed Man
Aug. 1934 The Squeaking Goblin
Sep. 1934 Fear Cay
Oct. 1934 Death in Silver
Nov. 1934 The Sea Magician
Dec. 1934 The Annihilist

Jan. 1935 The Mystic Mullah
Feb. 1935 Red Snow
Mar. 1935 Land of Always-Night
Apr. 1935 The Spook Legion
May. 1935 The Secret in the Sky
Jun. 1935 The Roar Devil
Jul. 1935 Quest of Qui
Aug. 1935 Spook Hole
Sep. 1935 The Majii
Oct. 1935 Dust of Death
Nov. 1935 Murder Melody
Dec. 1935 The Fantastic Island

Jan. 1936 Murder Mirage
Feb. 1936 Mystery Under the Sea
Mar. 1936 The Metal Master
Apr. 1936 The Men Who Smiled No More
May. 1936 The Seven Agate Devils
Jun. 1936 The Haunted Ocean
Jul. 1936 The Black Spot
Aug. 1936 The Midas Man
Sep. 1936 Cold Death
Oct. 1936 The South Pole Terror
Nov. 1936 Resurrection Day
Dec. 1936 The Vanisher

Jan. 1937 Land of Long JuJu
Feb. 1937 The Derrick Devil
Mar. 1937 The Mental Wizard
Apr. 1937 The Terror in the Navy
May. 1937 Mad Eyes
Jun. 1937 The Land of Fear
Jul. 1937 He Could Stop The World
Aug. 1937 Ost
Sep. 1937 The Feathered Octopus
Oct. 1937 Repel
Nov. 1937 The Sea Angel
Dec. 1937 The Golden Peril

Jan. 1938 The Living-Fire Menace
Feb. 1938 The Mountain Monster
Mar. 1938 Devil on the Moon
Apr. 1938 The Pirate's Ghost
May. 1938 The Motion Menace
Jun. 1938 The Submarine Mystery
Jul. 1938 The Giggling Ghosts
Aug. 1938 The Munitions Master
Sep. 1938 The Red Terrors
Oct. 1938 Fortress of Solitude
Nov. 1938 The Green Death
Dec. 1938 The Devil Genghis

Jan. 1939 Mad Mesa
Feb. 1939 The Yellow Cloud
Mar. 1939 The Freckled Shark
Apr. 1939 World's Fair Goblin
May. 1939 The Gold Ogre
Jun. 1939 The Flaming Falcons
July 1939 Merchants of Disaster
Aug. 1939 The Crimson Serpent
Sep. 1939 Poison Island
Oct. 1939 The Stone Man
Nov. 1939 Hex
Dec. 1939 The Dagger in the Sky

Jan. 1940 The Other World
Feb. 1940 The Angry Ghost
Mar. 1940 The Spotted Men
Apr. 1940 The Evil Gnome
May. 1940 The Boss of Terror
Jun. 1940 The Awful Egg
Jul. 1940 The Flying Goblin
Aug. 1940 Tunnel Terror 
Sep. 1940 The Purple Dragon
Oct. 1940 Devils of the Deep
Nov. 1940 The Awful Dynasty
Dec. 1940 The Men Vanished 
Jan. 1941 The Devil's Playground 
Feb. 1941 Bequest of Evil
Mar. 1941 The All-White Elf
Apr. 1941 The Golden Man
May. 1941 The Pink Lady
Jun. 1941 The Headless Men
Jul. 1941 The Green Eagle
Aug. 1941 Mystery Island
Sep. 1941 The Mindless Monsters
Oct. 1941 Birds of Death
Nov. 1941 The Invisible-Box Murders
Dec. 1941 Peril in the North

Jan. 1942 The Rustling Death 
Feb. 1942 Men of Fear
Mar. 1942 The Too-Wise Owl
Apr. 1942 The Magic Forest 
May. 1942 Pirate Isle
Jun. 1942 The Speaking Stone
Jul. 1942 The Man Who Fell Up
Aug. 1942 The Three Wild Men
Sep. 1942 The Fiery Menace
Oct. 1942 The Laugh of Death
Nov. 1942 They Died Twice
Dec. 1942 The Devil's Black Rock

Jan. 1943 The Time Terror
Feb. 1943 Waves of Death
Mar. 1943 The Black, Black Witch
Apr. 1943 The King of Terror
May. 1943 The Talking Devil
Jun. 1943 The Running Skeletons
Jul. 1943 Mystery on Happy Bones
Aug. 1943 The Mental Monster
Sep. 1943 Hell Below
Oct. 1943 The Goblins
Nov. 1943 The Secret of the Su
Dec. 1943 The Spook of Grandpa Eben

Jan. 1944 According to Plan of a One-Eyed Mystic
Feb. 1944 Death Had Yellow Eyes
Mar. 1944 The Derelict of Skull Shoal
Apr. 1944 The Whisker of Hercules
May. 1944 The Three Devils
Jun. 1944 The Pharaoh's Ghost
Jul. 1944 The Man Who Was Scared
Aug. 1944 The Shape of Terror 
Sep. 1944 Weird Valley
Oct. 1944 Jui San
Nov. 1944 Satan Black
Dec. 1944 The Lost Giant

Jan. 1945 Violent Night
Feb. 1945 Strange Fish
Mar. 1945 The Ten Ton Snakes
Apr. 1945 Cargo Unknown
May. 1945 Rock Sinister
Jun. 1945 The Terrible Stork
Jul. 1945 King Joe Cay
Aug. 1945 The Wee Ones
Sep. 1945 Terror Takes 7
Oct. 1945 The Thing That Pursued
Nov. 1945 Trouble on Parade
Dec. 1945 The Screaming Man

Jan. 1946 Measures for a Coffin
Feb. 1946 Se-Pah-Poo
Mar. 1946 Terror and the Lonely Widow 
Apr. 1946 Five Fathoms Dead
May. 1946 Death is a Round Black Spot
Jun. 1946 Colors for Murder
Jul. 1946 Fire and Ice
Aug. 1946 Three Times a Corpse
Sep. 1946 The Exploding Lake
Oct. 1946 Death in Little Houses
Nov. 1946 The Devil Is Jones
Dec. 1946 The Disappearing Lady

Jan. 1947 Target for Death
Feb. 1947 The Death Lady
Mar. 1947 Danger Lies East
May. 1947 No Light to Die By
Jul. 1947 The Monkey Suit
Sep. 1947 Let's Kill Ames
Nov. 1947 Once Over Lightly 

Jan. 1948 I Died Yesterday
Mar. 1948 The Pure Evil
May. 1948 Terror Wears No Shoes
Jul. 1948 The Angry Canary
Sep. 1948 The Swooning Lady

Jan. 1949 The Green Master
Apr. 1949 Return From Cormoral
Sep. 1949 Up From Earth's Center

Jul. 1979 The Red Spider

If you haven't read a Doc book, you're missing out. Now I can finally, at long last say I've read all the originals. Now it's onto the great volumes from Altus Press which are offering still more Doc Savage adventures by Doug Murray, often working from notes left by Lester Dent himself.

Doc Savage forever!

Rip Off

The End Of The Savage Trail!

With its eighty-seventh issue Sanctum Books has at long last completed its highly successful reprinting of the classic Doc Savage stories from the 1930's and 1940's by Lester Dent and others writing as "Kenneth Robeson". It's extremely satisfying to own and have at my fingertips all of the classic Doc adventures.

Debut Issue of Sanctum Books Now Completed Doc Savage Series

This series was launched in 2006 when Anthony Tollin's little venture came out with both The Shadow reprints as well as Doc Savage stories. The labor of love seemed to be intended at the very least to get some of the best and most fondly remembered Doc tales back into circulation and later to pair stories which shared some detail of setting or theme. Most volumes contained two Savage stories, and several had three. All were accompanied by painstakingly detailed essays relating the behind-the-scenes stories of how these epics came to be created. Often we were treated to extended stories with the original manuscripts being used to add back previously excised material. 

Debut Issue of Sanctum Books Ongoing Shadow Series.

Over the years the books have continued to roll out, quickly at first and less frequently in later years. But at long last we  have the whole shebang out in handsome volumes which are comfortable to read. The Avenger, The Whisperer, Captain Fury, The Spider, Black Bat, and others have been added to stable as the decade has rolled by but aside from the continued publication of The Shadow the main mission as far as I can tell is complete with Doc Savage finally having been returned to the stands after an all-too-long absence.

It was always a dream of mine to be able to read these stories, but I despaired ever finding all of the paperbacks. Ironically I recently stumbled across a set which had nearly three quarters of the vintage Bantam books but since I owned the stories (and most of the luscious Bama covers) already I let them slide by. Old paperbacks are fun to look at, great to own, but they are the very devil to read without destroying them, something I'm loathe to do.

Having read the tales by Lester Dent and some others for a decade now, I cannot say that they've all been classics. Some are pretty basic adventure yarns with cardboard characters and overly complicated scenarios, but even the weakest has the advantage of a compelling lead who commands the attention of those around him and the reader.

It's neat to finally have this mission accomplished, to have all of the stories here at my fingertips. I've read nearly all of the stories as they have appeared but I have several more to go before I finish. And after those are done, there are the "new" Doc Savage stories from Altus Books under the "Wild Adventures of Doc Savage" banner in which Doug Murray takes uncompleted Dent stories and material and polishes it off. There have also been some great pastiches over there such as the crossover of Doc and King King.

It's going to be a blast to complete this quest, finally read the end of a very savage trail indeed.

On a related and somewhat ironic note, the final volume of the Fu-Manchu reprints from Titan Books also arrived in my mailbox this past week. The Wrath of Fu-Manchu is a collection of the final few Sax Rohmer Fu-Manchu stories along with some other material and wraps up the decades long schemes of the "Devil Doctor" to take over the world. I'm looking forward to getting into this last book in the run. 
 
Rip Off

The Living Shadow!

Thanks to the lovely reprints from Sanctum Books, I've been dutifully filling my shelves with scores of Shadow novels by Walter Gibson, under his nom de plume of "Maxwell Grant" of course. Recently I finished once again the debut Shadow yarn, "The Living Shadow" which introduces the macabre world of the secretive crime fighter and introduces the audience to Harry Vincent, an operator plucked from his own untimely demise and literally owing his life to the mysterious Shadow.

Original Source for the First Shadow Cover

In this initial story, the Shadow uses his elaborate network of agents to plumb the mystery of a jewel heist. There is a distinct "Yellow Menace" angle to the tale as a Yang Foo, a fence for stolen goods get lots of attention in the story and is the inspiration for the cover which is borrowed from another Street and Smith publication. There is also a good deal of code breaking as The Shadow both deciphers and sends mysterious messages.

The Shadow in this story is different from the grim avenger we're mostly familiar with. He remains off stage a good deal more and there is not yet any hint of Lamont Cranston in the proceedings,he's just "The Shadow" a mysterious entity who battles crime for unknown reasons. Harry Vincent carries the action while The Shadow lingers in the background emerging from time to time to put his memorable stamp on things.

"The Living Shadow" is a satisfying yarn, but is apparently only one of a trio of stories Gibson cobbled together when given the brief to turn the famous laughing radio character into a viable pulp adventurer.

I read "The Living Shadow" many years ago in the Pyramid paperback format. Anthony Tollin has been thoughtful enough to publish in succession the first three Shadow novels as part of a anniversary celebration a few years back. I've been itching to read them through since and at last got around to doing so.

I'll have more to report later.

Rip Off

A Savage Reading List!

Thanks to Anthony Tollin's Sanctum Books I am about to fulfill a lifelong dream and read the first few years of Doc Savage. I picked up a few paperbacks when I was young, but never really pursued it. When I checked into collecting them, I despaired ever finding them all. It will take several years, but with an average of two a month thanks to Tollin's efforts, I am making great headway.

With some new volumes featuring 1933's The Phantom City and 1934's Mystery of the Snow this summer by my reckoning they will have reprinted all of the first and second years. Those early Doc adventures have a full-blooded quality to them that I really like. It will be neat soon hopefully to be able to read the first year through in order perhaps. That will be downright exciting.

NOTE: I WILL UPDATE THIS LIST AS MY DOC SAVAGE READING CONTINUES.


My DOC SAVAGE NOVELS READING LIST:

Mar. 1933 The Man of Bronze
Apr. 1933 The Land of Terror
May. 1933 Quest of the Spider
Jun. 1933 The Polar Treasure
Jul. 1933 Pirate of the Pacific
Aug. 1933 The Red Skull
Sep. 1933 The Lost Oasis
Oct. 1933 The Sargasso Ogre
Nov. 1933 The Czar of Fear
Dec. 1933 The Phantom City

Jan. 1934 Brand of the Werewolf
Feb. 1934 The Man Who Shook the Earth
Mar. 1934 Meteor Menace
Apr. 1934 The Monsters
May. 1934 The Mystery on the Snow
Jun. 1934 The King Maker
Jul. 1934 The Thousand-Headed Man
Aug. 1934 The Squeaking Goblin
Sep. 1934 Fear Cay
Oct. 1934 Death in Silver
Nov. 1934 The Sea Magician
Dec. 1934 The Annihilist

Jan. 1935 The Mystic Mullah
Feb. 1935 Red Snow
Mar. 1935 Land of Always-Night
Apr. 1935 The Spook Legion
May. 1935 The Secret in the Sky
Jun. 1935 The Roar Devil
Jul. 1935 Quest of Qui
Aug. 1935 Spook Hole
Sep. 1935 The Majii
Oct. 1935 Dust of Death
Nov. 1935 Murder Melody
Dec. 1935 The Fantastic Island

Jan. 1936 Murder Mirage
Feb. 1936 Mystery Under the Sea
Mar. 1936 The Metal Master
Apr. 1936 The Men Who Smiled No More
May. 1936 The Seven Agate Devils
Jun. 1936 The Haunted Ocean
Jul. 1936 The Black Spot
Aug. 1936 The Midas Man
Sep. 1936 Cold Death
Oct. 1936 The South Pole Terror
Nov. 1936 Resurrection Day
Dec. 1936 The Vanisher

Jan. 1937 Land of Long JuJu
Feb. 1937 The Derrick Devil
Mar. 1937 The Mental Wizard
Apr. 1937 The Terror in the Navy
May. 1937 Mad Eyes
Jun. 1937 The Land of Fear
Jul. 1937 He Could Stop The World
Aug. 1937 Ost
Sep. 1937 The Feathered Octopus
Oct. 1937 Repel
Nov. 1937 The Sea Angel
Dec. 1937 The Golden Peril

Jan. 1938 The Living-Fire Menace
Feb. 1938 The Mountain Monster
Mar. 1938 Devil on the Moon
Apr. 1938 The Pirate's Ghost
May. 1938 The Motion Menace
Jun. 1938 The Submarine Mystery
Jul. 1938 The Giggling Ghosts
Aug. 1938 The Munitions Master
Sep. 1938 The Red Terrors
Oct. 1938 Fortress of Solitude
Nov. 1938 The Green Death
Dec. 1938 The Devil Genghis

Jan. 1939 Mad Mesa
Feb. 1939 The Yellow Cloud
Mar. 1939 The Freckled Shark
Apr. 1939 World's Fair Goblin
May. 1939 The Gold Ogre
Jun. 1939 The Flaming Falcons
July 1939 Merchants of Disaster
Aug. 1939 The Crimson Serpent
Sep. 1939 Poison Island
Oct. 1939 The Stone Man
Nov. 1939 Hex
Dec. 1939 The Dagger in the Sky

Jan. 1940 The Other World
Feb. 1940 The Angry Ghost
Mar. 1940 The Spotted Men
Apr. 1940 The Evil Gnome
May. 1940 The Boss of Terror
Jun. 1940 The Awful Egg
Jul. 1940 The Flying Goblin
Aug. 1940 Tunnel Terror 
Sep. 1940 The Purple Dragon
Oct. 1940 Devils of the Deep
Nov. 1940 The Awful Dynasty
Dec. 1940 The Men Vanished 
Jan. 1941 The Devil's Playground 
Feb. 1941 Bequest of Evil
Mar. 1941 The All-White Elf
Apr. 1941 The Golden Man
May. 1941 The Pink Lady
Jun. 1941 The Headless Men
Jul. 1941 The Green Eagle
Aug. 1941 Mystery Island
Sep. 1941 The Mindless Monsters
Oct. 1941 Birds of Death
Nov. 1941 The Invisible-Box Murders
Dec. 1941 Peril in the North

Jan. 1942 The Rustling Death 
Feb. 1942 Men of Fear
Mar. 1942 The Too-Wise Owl
Apr. 1942 The Magic Forest 
May. 1942 Pirate Isle
Jun. 1942 The Speaking Stone
Jul. 1942 The Man Who Fell Up
Aug. 1942 The Three Wild Men
Sep. 1942 The Fiery Menace
Oct. 1942 The Laugh of Death
Nov. 1942 They Died Twice
Dec. 1942 The Devil's Black Rock

Jan. 1943 The Time Terror
Feb. 1943 Waves of Death
Mar. 1943 The Black, Black Witch
Apr. 1943 The King of Terror
May. 1943 The Talking Devil
Jun. 1943 The Running Skeletons
Jul. 1943 Mystery on Happy Bones
Aug. 1943 The Mental Monster
Sep. 1943 Hell Below
Oct. 1943 The Goblins
Nov. 1943 The Secret of the Su
Dec. 1943 The Spook of Grandpa Eben

Jan. 1944 According to Plan of a One-Eyed Mystic
Feb. 1944 Death Had Yellow Eyes
Mar. 1944 The Derelict of Skull Shoal
Apr. 1944 The Whisker of Hercules
May. 1944 The Three Devils
Jun. 1944 The Pharaoh's Ghost
Jul. 1944 The Man Who Was Scared
Aug. 1944 The Shape of Terror 
Sep. 1944 Weird Valley
Oct. 1944 Jui San
Nov. 1944 Satan Black
Dec. 1944 The Lost Giant

Jan. 1945 Violent Night
Feb. 1945 Strange Fish
Mar. 1945 The Ten Ton Snakes
Apr. 1945 Cargo Unknown
May. 1945 Rock Sinister
Jun. 1945 The Terrible Stork
Jul. 1945 King Joe Cay
Aug. 1945 The Wee Ones
Sep. 1945 Terror Takes 7
Oct. 1945 The Thing That Pursued
Nov. 1945 Trouble on Parade
Dec. 1945 The Screaming Man

Jan. 1946 Measures for a Coffin
Feb. 1946 Se-Pah-Poo
Mar. 1946 Terror and the Lonely Widow 
Apr. 1946 Five Fathoms Dead
May. 1946 Death is a Round Black Spot
Jun. 1946 Colors for Murder
Jul. 1946 Fire and Ice
Aug. 1946 Three Times a Corpse
Sep. 1946 The Exploding Lake
Oct. 1946 Death in Little Houses
Nov. 1946 The Devil Is Jones
Dec. 1946 The Disappearing Lady

Jan. 1947 Target for Death
Feb. 1947 The Death Lady
Mar. 1947 Danger Lies East
May. 1947 No Light to Die By
Jul. 1947 The Monkey Suit
Sep. 1947 Let's Kill Ames
Nov. 1947 Once Over Lightly 

Jan. 1948 I Died Yesterday
Mar. 1948 The Pure Evil
May. 1948 Terror Wears No Shoes
Jul. 1948 The Angry Canary
Sep. 1948 The Swooning Lady

Jan. 1949 The Green Master
Apr. 1949 Return From Cormoral
Sep. 1949 Up From Earth's Center (PENDING)

Jul. 1979 The Red Spider

If you haven't read a Doc book, you're missing out.

Rip Off

The Shadow Reports #11

The Shadow #9 is titled "Night of the Falling Death". (All the titles begin the same way now it seems.) This one offers artwork by Frank Robbins with inks by Frank McLaughlin. Joe Kubert though does the cover. The script though is done by Michael Uslan and there's definitely a different tone in the story.

It concerns a smuggling ring which somehow uses Nigagra Falls. A man on death row points the Shadow towards a villain named "Murdock", but apparently that's all and several "Murdocks" fall unders suspicion. Shrevvy focuses on one who turns out to innocent and the Shadow sends Shrevvy away on vacation, clearly a rebuke. The Shadow in this story is much more stern with his aides, less sympathetic. Eventually the action ends up at the Falls with Lamont Cranston and Margot Lane getting "married" to cover the investigation. The Murdock they are looking for turns out to be a woman who does some daredevil stunts at the Falls and she and the Shadow battle on a rope across the Falls before predictably she tumbles to her death.

One dandy addition to this issue is a two-page text piece on the history of The Shadow. It's titled "The Shadow: A Dossier" and it's written by then DC staffer Anthony Tollin, the same Anthony Tollin who is currently gracing us with some wonderful Shadow Double-Novel reprints.

More to come.

Rip Off