July 12, 2013

What Evil Lurks: Rediscovering the Pulp SHADOW

It's all Barry Reese's fault.

I've been listening quite a bit to his Shadow Fan podcast, focusing on the best known pulp character - possibly, one of the first true multimedia characters....and have been reacquainting myself on pulp reprints of The Shadow.

Now, in all honesty, I know the Shadow mostly through the old radio series - guns a-blazing, discovering all sorts of mystery and intrigue, almost like a traditional superhero. But the pulp Shadow? Knight and day.

The pulp Shadow is more....well, he's more Jim Phelps than Bruce Wayne - organizing a group of operatives who do most of the ground work, and then the Shadow comes out at the end to make sure that the fruit of the weed of crime is most bitter.

(Some of you will take exception to what I have just said - I'm new to the pulp Shadow. Don't judge me)

But the Shadow in pulp form is a wonder to behold....and easily available for purchase.

Trust me, it's a way to learn about the history of pop culture....and gain a different perspective on a well-known character.

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