A while back I reviewed a collection of New Pulp heroes, Eight Against the Darkness by Mark Allen Vann. The idea of the collection is eight independent characters, all different types of heroes, in different times and worlds, fighting against evil, but actually aspects of the same evil force. The types are warrior prince, Victorian agent, mentalist, adventurer, witch hunter, sky pirate, masked vigilante, and occult detective.
The plan is this would be the first of a trilogy. Well, recently I was sent a copy of the second in that trilogy, The Fateful Eight, which came out in 2021, again from Vann’s Xepico Press. Interestingly, the cover actually shows all eight characters, though they do not meet and I suspect they won’t in the conclusion. We get the next adventure from these characters.
First up is our occult detective, Thomas Greyclaw. He is cursed into the form of a stone gargoyle. He can transform back into human form, but only for short periods. He’s pulled into a case where someone is killing book editors. In a gruesome manner that smacks of the occult. This time he’s aided by a witch and an imp. And there is a return of another from the first story. Will the witch aid him in the coming fight against evil?
Next is our warrior prince, Corr, Prince of Andar. In our last story, he failed in a quest for his mother, the Witch Queen of Andar. But brought back another prize. We get hints of a greater mystery or threat. On what side will the Witch Queen fall? Corr resumes his quest for a cursed dagger. If he finds it, will he return it to his mother?
Our “witch hunter” is more called a “monster hunter” this time. Alistair Synne seems a character in the mode of Solomon Kane who has a mission and even a pair of occult flintlocks “powered” by his soul. This time he stumbles into a town that is cursed by something(s) that comes out at night. But this time he gets some needed help. But what will the future bring him?
Mary Minerva is our mentalist and seems the “center” of it all. It looks like she will be the connector between these characters. But she is still learning her abilities, being mentored by Merlyn. Will she be ready in time? And how will she connect with everyone else?
Redd Havick is our female sky pirate, set in another world different from our own. She continues her fight against her uncle, who slew her father (his brother). But must also contend with an even deadlier threat. Who, if any, will come out victorious? And what is next?
The pulp hero/masked vigilante type is the Revenant, a former cop named Nathan Porter who was left for dead, saved, and “improved,” set in 1927 in Diamond City. While fighting against a local crimelord, there seems to be a zombie killing people. The Revenant stopped him, but not the one behind him, a Lord Gaunt. What is the connection between them? I’m sure we will learn more next time we see him.
Crypt Bannon is the adventurer in the style of Quatermain, Indiana Jones, etc. This time, the adventure takes him and his companions to India in search of a gem called the “Eye of Bengali.” And face-to-face with tiger-men! Can they survive?
Finally, we have Victorian-style agent Blake Spector, king’s agent for the country of Lunare. An England-like nation on a world that’s like Earth, but where you have a steam-punk science contrasted with magic. This is shown by Blake’s two associates: sorcerer Lord Karkos Blackwell and scientist/inventor Dr. Archibald Prescott Livingston. Livington tells Blake of a possible problem: a few of their “steam ogres” have disappeared. About 20. Then Blake and Blackwell are attacked at a pub by a trio of them, destroying the pub in the process. Something is up and Blake needs to stop it.
There is a short episode with the leaders of the darkness discussing the heroes. They seem confident they will win out. We’ll see.
I found these stories much more satisfying than the prior volume, which seemed more of an introduction to the characters.
The final in the trilogy is The Crazy Eight. I’m not sure when it will come out. I look forward to seeing how this concludes. How will they be connected to each other, etc.? But will we see more of these characters? Some of these characters I would very much like to see more of. Blake Spector’s work reminds me a bit of the Lord Darcy series.
Mark Allan Vann has other works from Xepico Press, so check those out as well. I’ll have a review of another of their works soon.
