I recently got the second issue of the new pulp fanzine focused on the most popular pulp hero, The Shadow: The Shadowed Circle. They prefer to call themselves a “pulp journal,” but I am using the term fanzine in a more broader manner than in the past. As before, the issue is 7- by 10-inches with color covers and black-&-white interiors on nice white paper (not slick).
Issue #2 (Winter 2022) is under a cover that is made to look like what we might find on The Shadow’s desk at his Sanctum. We get several pieces in the issue that comes in at 62 pages, more than the prior issue. They also point out some errors that crept into the previous issue.
This time we get:
A detailed look at The Shadow graphic novel from Marvel: Hitler’s Astrologer, in particular looking at the historical elements of the story comes from Malcom Deeley‘s piece. As it was a pretty good graphic novel, this was an enjoyable article. As this is marked as “Part 1,” I assume there will be further ones looking at the historical elements in other Shadow works (pulps and/or comics)? This may be interesting as we’ve gotten similar articles on Doc Savage stories and their inspirition in then current events over in Bronze Gazette.
From pulp researcher Will Murray, we get a look at what went into selecting the pair of Shadow novels for the Sanctum Books volumes.
Steve Donoso provides a look at The Shadow’s New York, using the black-&-white photography of Berenice Abbott. We get several examples.
Tim King takes a look at the use of imagery that is similar to The Shadow in military and intelligence circles. While some of this seems to be based on The Shadow, it’s important to understand that the imagery of The Shadow is actually based on prior imagery that is usually thought of as a sinister figure, such as a spy, saboteaur, anarchist bomber, or the like. But I think it appropriate that The Shadow’s imagery is used within the intelligence community as I’ve always maintained that The Shadow basically operated as a spymaster in fighting crime vs. being a lone, violent vigilante.
We get a review of Will Murray’s recent book on The Shadow: Master of Mystery: The Rise of The Shadow.
In what is marked as part one of another series, we get a look at the pulp years of The Shadow from Todd Severin and Keith Holt. Here we learn of the early history of The Shadow, both him coming out of the early radio show as an mysterious announcer and the influence of the prior dime-novel characters. I wonder what the second part will give us?
Finally, pulp historian Julian Puga takes a look at the Explorer’s Club and how The Shadow would probably be a member, both as Lamont Cranston and as Kent Allard.
As noted, this is the second of three issues for 2021-22. You can subscribe with digital or print editions. This is another excellent issue, and I look forward to the third one, and will be resubscribing. If you’re not getting this, you should be!
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