I’ve got my The Shadow Club pin, which I picked up on eBay quite a while back. And I’ve got Graphitti Designs’ reproduction Doc Savage Club pin, which I bought during a visit to the defunct Caveman Comics in Mesa, Ariz., at my first Doc Con almost three years ago. For years, I’ve known about those two clubs, and their associated pins, created by Street & Smith during the 1930s.
I’ve wondered off and on, which other pulp heroes were deemed worthy enough by their publishers to warrant similar clubs and badges. And, over time, I’ve come across several club pins.
Besides The Shadow and Doc Savage pins, there were also badges for the Friends of the Phantom, the Lone Ranger Magazine Readers Club and the Flying Aces Magazine Club (all pictured above, left to right). There was a second Flying Aces Magazine Club badge, too.
(By the way, I’m limiting this to premiums given away only by the pulp publishers – not reproductions or sponsor giveaways.)
Chris Kalb mentioned recently that he has a G-8 club wings badge. And I’ve seen a photo of a Sky Birds Escadrille bracelet, which I’m assuming is related to the Sky Birds pulp. (Update: The Sky Birds Escadrille bracelet isn’t a pulp premium, but one given away by Sky Birds Bubble Gum.)
And then there are the rings: The Spider and Operator #5 are most obvious. (There was a glow-in-the-dark The Shadow ring, but it was issued by radio sponsor Blue Coal, so doesn’t count in this instance.)
And The Spider pencil.
Anyone know and want to share information about other pulp club badges?
– William
Addendum: Chris sent along a photo of his G-8 wings, which I added above. Thanks, Chris!
Maybe it’s the rarity of the vintage premiums, or the fact that they were actually mailed in for by actual pulp buyers. They’re something from the past that you can hold in your hand.
And a lot of them are pretty well made. You’re right about today’s premiums. Pretty lame. Just look at what was available for The Shadow movie back in the ’90s. The club pin was just a Badge-a-Minit sort of pin.
Wish I had some info to give you, but I don’t. Sorry. Good post, though.
What is it that’s so fascinating about those premiums? Have you seen the crap that constitutes premiums and give-aways these days? It’s sad.
I agree that “they don’t make ’em like they used to” but I’ve done what I can designing a pretty decent looking new Spider Ring to promote Baen Books’ The Spider: Robot Titans of Gotham. The real beauty of this new ring is that it was economical to produce and is being distributed as a true FREE giveaway. Premiums live!
Doh! I can’t believe I forgot to mention the new Spider ring that you designed, Chris. It completely slipped my mind when I was writing the entry on Tuesday. Sorry about that!