Every week (ish) New Pulp Heroes sits down with an artist or author creating new heroic fiction works in order to pull back the curtain and give you, our faithful readers, a look into the mind of New Pulp Fiction’s best and brightest creators.
If you missed Season One, here’s the link so you can binge read interviews with some of the best and brightest minds in New Pulp Fiction.
5 Questions With… (season one)
John Bruening
It’s been a hot minute since we brought a new pulp creator in for questioning. Unfortunately, there’s a finite number of perps on our person of interest list that fit the profile of new pulp creator.
However, this week, we put author, editor and all around amazing creator John Bruening under the interrogation spotlight. Check out what he has to say for himself:
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
JB: The answer to this question and the next one are interconnected, because it’s hard to know exactly where the reader ends and the writer begins, but I’ll do my best to separate them out.
The first pulp story to grab me was “A Princess of Mars,” the opening tale in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom series. I read it for the first time in the mid-1990s, when I was about 30 years old (granted, a bit of a late start). Up to that point, I had read quite a bit of science fiction, thrillers and mystery, but I had been missing some of the epic-scale heroic sweep of the comics I had read in my childhood and adolescence. The Barsoom stories brought a lot of that back. There was science, mystery and suspense, but there was also the swashbuckling action reminiscent of the bronze-age comics I had read as a kid.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
JB: I think I started hearing about it in the year or two leading up to the first Pulpfest convention in Columbus in 2009. While the predecessor to Pulpfest – an annual event in Dayton called PulpCon – had been strictly for dealers and buyers of vintage pulp, the Pulpfest organizers promoted the fact that their convention would expand the scope and make space for new material from a new generation of writers and publishers.
This felt like the ideal point of entry for me as a writer. By this time, I had read ERB’s entire Barsoom series and was working my way through some of the Bantam paperback reprints of the original Doc Savage stories. I was also reading contemporary adventure novelists like Clive Cussler and James Rollins, both of whom were/are considered heirs to the pulp tradition. So I looked at his whole continuum and started thinking about writing stories in the spirit of classic pulp fiction, but maybe with a little more sophistication and dimension than what was being published eighty or ninety years ago.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
JB: Jim Beard, my publishing partner at Flinch Books, introduced an occult detective named Sgt. Janus several years ago. Sgt. Janus (aka the Spirit-Breaker), walks on a fine line between this world and the next one by reaching across the void to settle unfinished business with the dead. He is in many respects a detective, but the mysteries he unravels have just as much to do with the spirit world as the one we all live in. We retrieved Sgt. Janus from his prior publishing home in the summer of 2020 and brought him under the Flinch Books umbrella in revised editions with new cover art. More than a year later, I still get excited when I see him among the other Flinch titles.
The Sentinels, created by Van Allen Plexico, are reminiscent of The Avengers, the superhero team originally introduced by Marvel Comics in the 1960s (the same Avengers who later became a household name by dominating the box office every summer for about a decade). Van’s Sentinels series marries the best elements of two worlds – pulp fiction and comics. If you’re a fan of either or both (and most people who dig one usually have at least some affinity for the other), then you’ll find plenty to like in the Sentinels saga.
I’ve read a couple installments in the Captain Hawklin series from writer Charles F. Millhouse. Captain Hawklin could best be described as a mashup of Doc Savage and Indiana Jones, both of whom are personal favorites of mine and both of whom have pretty loyal built-in audiences. Charles has churned out nine Captain Hawklin stories (and counting) in a relatively short number of years – which is in itself an admirable accomplishment from the standpoint of sheer output – and every one of them invokes that over-the-top globetrotting adventure energy that was a hallmark of the original pulp era.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
JB: Not cheesy at all. For as much as I’ve enjoyed larger-than-life heroes like John Carter and Doc Savage, I’m also a fan of the gritty, hardboiled private detective. I’d love to make my way through the streets of New York – and through a pint of gin – with Raymond Chandler’s classic tough-guy, Phillip Marlowe. Just listening to the wisecracking dialogue all day (and all night) would be enough, but working a case would be even more fun – provided I could be assured that I wouldn’t catch any stray bullets.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
JB: I just finished a Green Hornet story for Joe Gentile at Moonstone Books a few weeks ago. The story is scheduled to appear in an upcoming installment of Moonstone’s “Double Shot” magazine (possibly before the end of 2021, but I’m not certain of that). Per Joe’s editorial direction, the story is based in large part on the version of The Green Hornet that appeared in the short-lived 1966/67 television series starring Van Williams (and of course Bruce Lee as Kato). This was, in my opinion, one of the best of the many incarnations of the character over the last 85 years, thanks in large part to the series’ 007 sensibility – the gadgets, the criminal intrigue, Reid’s playboy lifestyle, etc. Before the manuscript even got to Joe, the proofreader – someone who’s knowledgeable about this version of the character – said that reading the story was like reading a lost episode of the show that never aired. Hopefully the “Double Shot” readers will have the same or similar takeaway.
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And there you have it, after reading these answers, you can’t do anything other than render a verdict of guilty! John, like so many we’ve interrogated before, is clearly culpable in the creation of new pulp fiction. Now, for those who want further proof, click here to go to John’s Amazon Author Page and purchase more evidence for yourself.
Guy Worthey
5 Questions With… returns this week, after apprehending the next suspect, author Guy Worthey. Masquerading as an astrophysicist, Worthey’s chosen occupation is merely a front for his new pulp creation activities. We present his list of crimes here:
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
GW: The Tom Swift Junior books. My mom drizzled them upon me at birthdays and Christmases until I had a collection. If you aren’t familiar with them, they are Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew level reading, featuring an 18-year-old inventor and his pilot sidekick Bud. The pair had girlfriends, but, thankfully for my younger self, there was no kissing or hand-holding. There was a huge amount of getting punched unconscious, head-bonked unconscious, gassed unconscious, g-forced unconscious, etc. But Tom always used cleverness and his inventions to get out of trouble and solve the case. He went to fun places like jungles, islands, Antarctica, and outer space.
It was the plot that hooked me. Lurid plot devices like robots, underwater helicopters, leeches, and “sabotage,” a new word for me at the time, and one full of fascinating possibilities. Supposedly written by “Victor Appleton II” (the original Tom Swift was written by “Victor Appleton”), in fact the books were ghost-written.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
GW: I think I echo a lot of the authors you have asked Five Questions to: I, too, wrote first and did market research second. I was, and still am, astonished at the lack of imaginitive straight-up adventure fiction in bookstores. You can find some, of course, disguised under section headings like science fiction, YA, and graphic novels. But I was naive and I was not aware that pulp style writing had ever gone out of style.
When writing my Ace Carroway series in particular, I intended that it should have the feel of pulp fiction stories. It should be transparent to well-read pulp fiction fans that the Ace Carroway stories are riffs from Doc Savage. I borrowed a couple of Doc Savage tropes and tossed others, but Ace is a female Doc echo and her “five fellas” are reinventions of Doc’s sidekicks.
I am thrilled that there is a community of folks that love fast-paced, imaginitive fiction with spare prose.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
GW: C. K. Burch has written three steampunk books featuring Dust McAlan, who seems to me like a cross between Indiana Jones and Alan Quatermain of King Solomon’s Mine fame. Definitely easy to get into those books. The world-building is great and the characters have a long arc of development over the series.
I also have to recommend the Clara Grey adventures by Evelyn Chartres. This one also has a steampunk vibe, and it gets metaphysical (apocalyptically so). Clara’s a vampire hunter, and keeps an antique Derringer in her petticoats for when s–t gets real. The writing’s good, and there’s an underlying dark but wry sense of humor that I dig.
Speaking of humor, A. J. Ponder’s “Sylvalla Chronicles” kept me in stitches. These are self-aware fantasies where the mash-ups of princesses, knights, knaves, sorcerers, and dragons always entertain and surprise. The ending is never what you think it will be, not even remotely. There’s more than a slight Terry Pratchet influence, here, but in a good way.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
GW: Here’s an obscure answer that will make any fan of Andre Norton’s “The Zero Stone” jump up from their chair: Murdoc Jern and Eet. Jern is a human gem trader in the far future and Eet is a mutant cat with telepathic powers. I’ve always loved futurism, and I’m very fond of Andre Norton’s fictional galaxy, with its Patrol, thieves guild, Forerunners, Zacathans, and Salariki. If I could spend time with these two, I’d want to get to know them better, and their wide world. I’d start by asking to see a gem shop and have Murdoc give me a tour. But wouldn’t it be great to get a lesson in telepathy from Eet? (No, it wouldn’t. Eet would belittle me and pepper me with sarcasm – but it would be worth it.)
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
GW: My brain split in two when you asked that question.
The first half says look out for the conclusion (book 8) of the Adventures of Ace Carroway, and also keep an ear open for the audiobook versions. The audiobooks are fabulous. The fabulous Keira Grace is the narrator and she is allowing yours truly to voice the male character dialog. She blends it together seamlessly for an experience a lot like old-time radio serials. This is exciting because I envisioned the Ace Carroway stories cinematically, and this gets us halfway there.
The second half of my brain, though, wants me to mention my next brainchild, a space opera called Skye Red. The titular character is an arena gladiator, master of weapons both archaic and futuristic. She escapes her imprisonment with the help of a cowardly scholar named Bodan. Although he’s of the cruel ruling race, Bodan wouldn’t hurt a fly. Thrown together and on the run, the pair flees through the galaxy until the hunted becomes the hunter.
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With all this evidence, the courts can do nothing but reach a guilty verdict! Guy Worthey is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to participate in the creation of new pulp fiction! You can apprehend all the evidence presented in this case by clicking here.
Stuart Jaffe
With a penchant for thrillers, mysteries and brain scratchers portrayed in a style reminiscent of the original pulp fiction stories, Stuart Jaffe has quietly built quite the library of evidence. As the creator and author of such tales as the Max Porter Paranormal Society series, the Bluesman, Parallel Society and so many more.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
SJ: I grew up wanting to read The Executioner and the Destroyer and all of that stuff (back then, they called it Men’s Adventure). For me, they were simply action/adventures with intriguing covers that sparked my imagination. But for some reason, I never did read them until I was much older. What hooked me once I started was the straight-forward, lean and mean, story telling. No padding. No secondary plots. Just the tale intended to be told. They were fast moving, to the point, and yet they felt whole, complete, and in some cases, vast. I’ve worked hard to develop a similar style in my own writing. Being clear and concise is a difficult art form, but I keep practicing.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
SJ: As a writer, I came to it backwards. I had started writing my Nathan K fantasy-thrillers as a way to take those beloved Mack Bolan/Remo Williams type stories and give them a fantasy twist (that Nathan can have two souls, so if he dies, he loses one and keeps going. As long as he replenishes his second soul, he’s essentially immortal). All of my writing is like that. I love mysteries and science fiction and fantasy and horror, and whenever I write in any of those genres, they take on a pulp feel. It was only at DragonCon several years back, when I watched a panel with Bobby Nash discussing how pulp is coming back that I thought, hey, that’s what I’ve been writing!
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
SJ: There’s a lot coming out to explore (not to mention all the classics of yesterday).
You certainly should check out Bobby Nash’s Snow series or Russell Blake’s JET. Both are excellent action-packed fun that understand the traditions they are writing under and how to adapt them to today.
I’d also suggest Jim Beard who writes some great pulp adventure comics. If you like the old pulp comics of the past, this guy has brought them into the present.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
SJ: These kinds of questions always make me laugh. I would never want to spend time with any of the pulp characters of a story. Terrible things happen around these people. They make for a great read because you’re safely sitting in a chair or in bed turning the pages. But for real? No, thank you. A ten minute coffee could end up with you kidnapped, tied and gagged, stuffed in the hold of a tanker, threatened by venomous snakes, and being tortured for information you don’t even have. And all you can do is wait to be saved. Admittedly, your chances of being saved are quite high, but no — not for me. I’d rather write about it all than experience it.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
SJ: I have several series going on at the same time (keeps me from getting bored) and while I’m not as fast as the old-time pulp writers, I do manage to get 5+ books out a year. This year will bring plenty of new stuff.
But in particular, I’m looking forward to getting out a few of The Marshall Drummond Case Files novellas. These take place in the 1930s and follow an ex-cop turned paranormal detective as he battles witches, ghosts, and curses in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Tons of fun.
The other big thing happening is The Ridnight Mysteries. This is a trilogy I wrote for Falstaff Books which mixes high fantasy with classic mystery. Book 1, The Water Blade, follows a group of adventurers on a quest to destroy the Big Bad evil when one of their members is killed. But under the circumstances, it’s clear that only another of their team could have done it. The leader hires a detective to go undercover with the adventurers and find out who the murderer is — but they must also continue their quest. It was a blast to write the trilogy, and Falstaff Books is releasing each book this year, one per month, starting on June 10th.
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Well, it certainly seems like an open and shut case. Not only is Stuart guilty of creating great new pulp fiction, he clearly has no remorse for doing such dastardly things. Based on this evidence, we have no choice but to sentence him to a life as a new pulp creator. Click here to purchase the evidence for yourself.
David (DK) Perlmutter
From the pages of super hero pulp fiction comes the imaginings of author David Perlmutter. His work is influenced deeply by comic book heroes and the pulp heroes whose shoulders they stand on. With a Masters Degree in history, we can expect also historically accurate backdrops to his really amazing tales.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
DKP: I got interested in the pulp field when I first started getting interested in writing speculative fiction and researching its history, which would have been about 15 odd years ago. Gradually, that expanded to the history of the entire magazine fiction field, including, of course, pulps. It wasn’t so much a particular story but the entire milieu that appealed to me. I had always been interested in superhero figures, and, discovering the ones I most admired had ancestors in the pulps, I became curious about how things evolved as they did. Mostly I discovered the stories through modern reprints, such as Otto Penzler’s excellent Big Book of Pulps series.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
DKP: As I wrote and began to publish as a fiction writer myself, I gradually met a number of fans of the old pulps and contemporary writers in the field through Facebook, and they became my friends. Discovering that other people were still writing in the old pulp style, and enjoying it, and doing somewhat well financially in some cases as well, convinced me that it would be an interesting avenue to pursue as an author.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
DKP: The Dillon series by the late Derrick Ferguson, who befriended me online when I started thinking about pursuing pulp writing as a career.
The Snow series by Bobby Nash, who did likewise online and has been supportive and encouraging towards me.
And anything that Pro Se Publishing is doing- the people there really understand how pulp works.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
DKP: Doc Savage. In the pulp world, he is the most interesting man in the universe. I would be interested in speaking to him about a potential biography project not unlike the one Philip Jose Farmer (one of my idols) did on him.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
DKP: For a number of years, I have been writing and publishing stories about a number of diverse superheroine characters, both on their own and as part of a team called the International League of Girls With Guns (muscles, not firearms). After hinting about it in some earlier stories, I am starting to feel more confident that I can write full fledged origin stories for the group as a whole and the heroines individually. I have drafted an outline for a full-length origin story from the group and plan on putting the project up for pre-orders on Inkshares when it is completed. In the meantime, those interested in the adventures of the group together and apart can subscribe to my account on Medium (https://dkperlmutter.medium.com/) where I have published and will continue to publish their various exploits.
There you have it folks, another adventure inside the mind of a pulp fiction blacksmith. Check out his work here.
Alan J. Porter
From Sherlock Holmes, Allan Quatermain, Houdini, The Musketeers, Wild Bill Hickok, and private eye Rick Ruby to his own New Pulp adventurers, The Raven and The Lotus Ronin, Alan J. Porter is yet another suspect who suffers from an over active imagination. Often spotted drinking a nice warm beverage while regaling listeners with tales both pulp and pop, the evidence against Porter mounts daily.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
AJP: It was probably a Saint story. My father had a full collection of Saint books in his study and I remember sneaking in and borrowing them. I loved the idea of a hero whose methods weren’t exactly always honorable but was a champion for justice and fairness.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
AJP: I’m not sure of the exact year. I was at an event in Chicago and heard something about a show happening that weekend called Windy City Pulp. It sounded like it would be a fun place to pick up some paperbacks (I’ve been slowly building my own Saint collection for several years). While there I attended a few panels and first heard about this “new pulp” thing. I later saw a tweet about a new noir-style PI series that Airship 27 was planning and decided to see if they were open to new writers – That was for the Rick Ruby series and it became my first attempt at doing a pulp-style short story.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
AJP: The most recent one I’ve really enjoyed is Van Alan Plexico’s “Heist” series, Vegas Heist, and Miami Heist – but total disclosure here I enjoyed them so much I made a suggestion to Van for a possible addition to the series, and now we are in the planning stages of co-writing the next installment.
Not too long ago I read an article in a Western magazine about the ranger Bass Reeves and became intrigued by his story. From there I picked up the AirShip 27 books featuring him and have been enjoying those.
Going back to Rick Ruby, it was series creator Bobby Nash who opened up that opportunity for me, and I would recommend his Snow series.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
AJP: I’ve always loved the idea of generational heroes – so I think it would probably be with The Phantom. I’d love to just settle down in the library of the Skull Cave and hear stories about the past holders of the mantle of The Ghost Who Walks.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
AJP: First off I’d like to plug a couple of projects that just came out in early 2021. I was delighted to have a story included in the first volume of the Musketeers New Adventures series from Airship27, it’s a fun story of a lost letter that could ignite a war.
On the non-fiction front we have just released The James Bond Lexicon an A-Z guide the worlds of 007 in novels, movies, TV, and comics. It was co-written with my wife Gill over a period of many years and it’s great to see it now being enjoyed by Bond fans. You can find out more at the book’s companion website http://JamesBondLexicon.online
In terms of new pulp work, as I mentioned above I’m working with Van Allen Plexico on a heist-novel project, as well as writing a new short story for an anthology he is publishing later this year. I’ve also got a couple of Western stories featuring Wild Bill Hickok sitting at Airship27 and hopefully, they will be out before too long. – It’s going to be a busy year on the pulp fiction front.
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Anyone who loves The Phantom is clearly alright in our book. However, that doesn’t mean we’ll stop investigation the allegations against Porter for creating great pulp fiction works. And, we need your help in bringing this man to justice. You can peruse the evidence for yourself by clicking here.
Austin Camacho
If you’re into mystery, adventure and loads of suspense, chances are you might have Austin Camacho to blame. With a writing style as compelling and suspenseful as a 5-star roller coaster, Camacho will pull you to new heights of intrigue, before launching you down into a thrilling tunnel of suspense. Don’t believe us, well, read on for yourself.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
AC: I guess I encountered 3 pulp stories in rapid succession. I bought two paperbacks – The first Conan reprint and the first Doc Savage reprint in same trip to the drugstore. What hooked me was the spare prose and the clarity of the heroes’ purposes. But then my dad handed me The Quick Red Fox by John D. MacDonald. All of the above PLUS a dark, dangerous world that felt more than real. That was when I was hooked.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
AC: Sean (S.A. Cosby) told me about this group of authors he’s been working with – Eric Beetner, Eryk Pruitt, a couple others, who are writing new pulp stories with the old school feel. Then he told me that my Hannibal Jones novels seemed to fit the mold also.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
AC: I got an advance look at S.A. Cosby’s Razorblade Tears and it’s the real deal. A true pulp vengeance story but very timely.
Hard Bounce is a great book from Todd Robinson, the guy who started ThugLit Magazine; in good pulp stories, easy paydays NEVER turn out to be.
Thomas Pluck’s stunning Bad Boy Boogie – that’s a piece you’ve got to read. What’s more pulp than a protagonist who’s just come out of a 25-year prison stretch for murder?
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
AC: I would love to spend a day in conversation with Lew Archer. Always saw Lew as an intellectual in a world filled with people driven entirely by their emotions. I’d follow him on a case and absorb his evaluations of each client and suspect. I’d also try out some dialog on him to see if he smiled or just shook his head. What could be better than seeing if Archer thought a snarky comment worked or not.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
AC: I’m building the next Hannibal Jones mystery in which a retired basketball star is kidnapped. I’m excited because, beyond a very twisty plotline, I have some things to say about having a posse as opposed to being part of someone’s posse, what that does to you either way. Also the difference between the viewpoints of idiots who think they’re smart, as opposed to idiots who know they’re not too bright (I believe this is an important theme in pulp and noir fiction.) And about the career path of the professional thug.
Now that you’ve heard plenty of evidence to pronounce Austin guilty of creating great new pulp fiction, it’s time to put your hands on some. You should investigate his Amazon Author page and gather more evidence yourself.
Howard Simpson
A veteran of the comic book industry with a bent for tales dripping with pulp goodness, our next suspect brings a lot of suspicion to the table. He’s been accused of creating fantastical tales of daring do, and we’re prepared to render a verdict. But first, we want you to read the evidence for yourself:
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
HS: The Maltese Falcon. I did not know it was from Black Mask pulps at the time. The words and sentence structure were different from any book I had read before. It was exciting and almost poetic at the same time. I also really had to pay attention to keep track of what was going on in it.
The first one that I knew was from the pulps was when my friend introduced me to the Shadow re-issue with those beautiful Steranko painted covers.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
HS: I had worked with my friend Ron Fortier years ago and he was looking for an artist for a novel. I wanted to work with him again, so I let him know I was available. As I was doing the art, he invited me to a Yahoo group full of new pulp creators and fans. I began to research ‘new pulp’ and found out about it.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
HS: BLACK PULP; an anthology that shows black people as adventurers and not negative stereotypes.
BROTHER BONES by Ron Fortier because it’s strange and macabre.
DILLON and THE LEGEND of THE GOLDEN BELL by Derrick Ferguson is a well-written pulp adventure.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
HS: Doc Savage. I would learn as much as I can from him.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
HS: I’m going to start my own line of pulp fiction books.
There you have it – all the evidence you need to pronounce Howard guilty of creating amazing tales of pulp influenced goodness. Now, head over to Howard’s Amazon page and grab up a pile of evidence for yourself, thank us later.
James Palmer
Buried in a pile of amazing books that detail untold worlds of imagination, James Palmer not only devours such tales, he creates them as well. A self-professed lover of science fiction and pulp storytelling, Palmer’s works are at once fantastical and prolific.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
JP: H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth. I love the use of language and the powerful mood it evokes, and Lovecraft’s cosmology has influenced me to this day.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
JP: After reading Mark Finn’s wonderful Blood and Thunder: The Life and Art of Robert E. Howard, I started reading Howard, and I was curious if anyone else was still writing these kinds of stories today. So I asked my friend Van Allen Plexico, and he introduced me to the gang at The Pulp Factory. I wanted to contribute because I thought it was a fun way of writing, a less serious mode, but just as powerful as anything new being written. I love the blue collar workaday aspect of pulp, the idea of regular joes rolling up their sleeves and banging out stories for a penny a word to pay the rent.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
JP: Bobby Nash is doing great stuff with his Snow series. If you like action/adventure thrillers, you’ll dig it. It would make a great TV series.
Will Murray’s Spider and King Kong novels are fantastic.
I also recently discovered Noirlathotep: Tales of Lovecraftian Crime. I love Lovecraftian stories and this collection of eldritch-themed crime stories is right up my darkened, tentacle-lined alley.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
JP: Gosh, that’s a dangerous question, because no matter who I picked, I would likely be in for a wild ride. My first thought is The Spider, but he’s just nuts and would likely get me killed. Oh, what the hell? The Spider.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
JP: 2020 really through me for a loop, and I’m just now getting back on the horse, though I have finished a space fantasy novella and a short story. But I recently published War for Monster Earth, the third and final volume in the Monster Earth anthology trilogy. It’s about a world where the Cold War was fought with giant monsters instead of the threat of nuclear weapons, and features awesome stories by Jim Beard, Teel James Glenn, Nancy Hansen, Desmond Reddick, John C. Bruening, and Russell Nohelty. Anyone who is a fan of Godzilla, Ultraman, and any make or model of kaiju will love this book. All three sport incredible covers by Jeffrey Hayes. I’m crazy proud of these books.
NewPulpHeroes would like to thank James for taking time out of his busy storywriting schedule to join us today. When you have a moment, cruise over to his Amazon Author Page and grab a few of his books – you can thank us later.
Gordon Dymowski
If you love pulp westerns, then you probably already know the name Gordon Dymowski. Winner of the 2019 Pulp Factory Best Short Story Award for his entry in the Pro Se Press western anthology, Gordon’s work is applauded by many. With published tales from the likes of Pro Se, Airship 27 and more, Gordon’s body of work continues to flourish.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
GD: My first pulp story was “The Man of Bronze” by Lester Dent. When I was eight years old, I was given a copy of the Doc Savage black-and-white magazine as a gift. After being intrigued by the comic, I checked out the paperback at the Brighton Park branch of the Chicago Public Library. I loved the idea of a hero who was noted for his brilliance as well as physical strength (It’s no wonder why my childhood idols were Doctor Who and John Steed), and the sheer speed of storytelling simply took me away. From that point forward, I engaged in a quest to find as many pulp paperbacks to purchase (and read) as I could, taking me from thrift shops to high-end bookstores.
Most of my youth was spent focused on reading Doc Savage and Sherlock Holmes with the occasional Shadow book thrown in. As a college student, I got hooked on Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series, which led me to deep dive into the works of Chandler, Hammett, Thompson, and Spillane. Since then, I’m always reading some classic/New Pulp works as well as other fiction and nonfiction.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
GD: Although I tried my best to get stories published while in college (spoiler: it never happened), it wasn’t until I wrote a regular column for the late, lamented Comic Related that I heard of New Pulp. I was fortunate enough to get to know Ron Fortier and Rob Davis of Airship 27, and it was Ron who encouraged me to submit. Fortunately, Tommy Hancock of Pro Se Productions was putting out regular calls, so I began submitting pitches (and stories) for his anthologies.
New Pulp provided a great opportunity for me to write in a style that I wanted about the ideas that I had. It was unpretentious, direct, and a great opportunity to get my feet wet. I think New Pulp tends to be more accommodating for new authors, especially those who want to handle bigger ideas in an easy-to-handle format. When New Pulp starts moving away from mere pastiche to something bigger, it provides a great opportunity for writers and readers to gain enjoyment and pleasure.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
GD: First, there’s Dillon by Derrick Ferguson; yes, everyone in New Pulp cites the character as their “favorite” property. Scratch beneath the surface, though, and you’ll find loads of clever wit, ingenious plotting, and writing sharp enough to open an envelope.
I’m also a huge fan of Barbara Doran’s work, especially her Golden Dragon series. Her writing mixes strong fantasy elements with exceptional plotting and characterization resulting in one helluva great read!
Finally, I love Barry Reese’s work on Lazarus Gray and Assistance Unlimited. Those books should be required reading for anyone curious about how to integrate classic pulp writing with a modern sensibility.
(Also recommended – the works of Gene Moyers and Greg Hatcher)
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
GD: I think that if I had to spend 24 hours with any classic pulp character, it would be the Black Bat/Tony Quinn. He has a Leverage-style crew to help him on his adventures, he has a strong sense of justice, and he also has a sharp mind. (He is a lawyer after all).
In that scenario, I would be cutting down McGrath and heading him off at the pass while the Black Bat did his work.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
GD: Right now, it looks like my novella “Town Called Malice” will be featured in Airship 27’s The Masked Rider Volume 3. It’s one of my first longer works and deals with the sinister goings-on in a small town in Missouri. To say more would spoil it, so I’ll just encourage you to leave it there.
I’m also working on an essay for ATB Publishing’s Outside In series (about classic Doctor Who) and if the stars align properly, my novel for Pro Se Productions’ Legacy series featuring reinventions of classic pulp characters will be out this year. (Hint: I’ve mentioned the character in this interview. See if you can guess who it is!)
NewPulpHeroes would like to thank Gordon for taking time out of his busy world-building schedule to join us today. When you have a moment, cruise over to his Amazon Author Page and grab a few of his books – you can thank us later.
Jonathan Sweet
The art of taking real, intriguing history, and interweaving it with the tales of a fictional character has produced some of the greatest storytelling in world history. Enter Jonathan Sweet, creator and author doing just that within the halls of new pulp fiction.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
JS: I came to pulp in a weird way. I discovered The Shadow through the radio show, then found out “Hey, there are books about this guy.” That led me to my first Windy City Pulp & Paper Convention where I realized the pulps were a thing, so it’s tough for me to point to one story. On the other hand, one of my favorite authors is Max Allan Collins and I would argue that a lot of his work falls squarely in the new pulp category. I’ve been reading his stuff since before I knew the pulps existed, so it would be fair to nominate him as well.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
JS: I was at Windy City (probably in 2007 or 2008) when I stumbled on the Airship 27 table and met Ron Fortier and Rob Davis. That was my first introduction to new pulp. I’ve been a writer for 25 years (mostly nonfiction/journalism), and have been a fan of the pulp genre for years, and the stories I want to tell just seem to fit naturally into the pulp category.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
JS: Ike Mars: Bloody Key by Fred Adams Jr. – Fred writes with an effortless style in all of his work, but I love his take on the classic “defective detective” genre. Ike Mars has been struck by lightning and can rearrange his facial features to look like anyone he wants to. It’s a great read – Fred is one of those authors you read as a writer and just get jealous you can’t write as well as him!
The Brother Bones series by Ron Fortier – What I like about the Brother Bones series is that Ron has given us a unique backstory for his anti-hero, plus Cape Noire is a fully realized setting for the series. The city is not just background – it is almost a character all its own, populated with a great collection of villains, heroes and average people just trying to survive.
The Lance Star series by Bobby Nash – Other writers have played in the Lance Star sandbox, but Bobby has spent the most time there. There aren’t a lot of aviation new pulps, but it’s one of my favorite genres in the pulps. It’s tough to do well (I’ve tried!) but he does a great job of mixing character development with action. It’s right up there with the classic aviation pulps like G-8 and Dusty Ayres.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
JS: Dan Turner, Robert Leslie Bellem’s Hollywood Detective — would love to meet some of those old Hollywood stars! Plus, I’m not one to be off fighting the serious crime that many pulp characters are and this sounds a lot safer. You gotta love the dialogue and while it would eventually drive me crazy, I figure 24 hours would be doable.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
JS: I’m working on my next book in the Adventures of the Red Jackal and I’m excited about the stories I’ve got planned for this second entry in the series. I love history and being able to incorporate my character into some of the historical events in the Twin Cities, both the well-known and the forgotten, as been a lot of fun. Once we get past the idea of a costumed, crime-fighting vigilante, the idea is to stay true to the real history of Minneapolis and St. Paul. One of my core ideas of the Red Jackal is that he doesn’t take himself quite as seriously as The Shadow, The Spider or the other classic pulp heroes. He realizes it is just a little silly to be running around in costume and I really look forward to exploring more of that side of his character.
We’d like to thank Jonathan for sitting in the interrogation chair and giving us a peek inside the mind of a true pulpster! Click here to get your copy of his work.
Barbara Doran
From Sherlock Holmes to Sinbad to the Green Hornet and Kato, our next suspect has led a multi-verse worth of lives in the minds of numerous speculative fiction heroes, heroines, villains and villainesses. From a life as a self-professed ‘military brat’ to the mastermind of a variety of action, adventure and mysterious tales, Barbara Doran has not only led an interesting life, but dreamed up many, many more.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
BD: I’d say my earliest pulp series would have been The Shadow. I’ve always been fond of mysterious adventurers who stalk the shadows solving and/or stopping crime.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
BD: I noticed an advertisement for Pulp Fest in Columbus and since my best friend and I were big fans of pulp related works, dragged her to it.
That’s where I met Ron Fortier and Rob Davis of Airship 27. We talked about all the new works he was bringing out and I noticed that a number of the New Pulp works he published drew on more cultures and backgrounds in a way that didn’t fetishize or denigrate them. Being half-Chinese and quite fond of Chinese media, that got my attention.
It occurred to me that I might be able to turn that fondness of mine to something drawing on both my love of the Shadow and the Green Hornet as well as martial arts and Asian fantasy. Claws of the Golden Dragon came out of the idea and somehow managed to turn to a sprawling adventure.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
BD: Nancy Hansen’s Captain Jezebel series is an excellent sea-going adventure for those who love swashbuckling and piracy on the high seas.
Jim Beard’s Sgt. Janus series features an occult detective with the unique trait of having the clients write the stories for him. Some nice twists occur throughout the work that definitely caught me by surprise.
And while I’m not sure it qualifies as New Pulp, Keith DeCandido’s Gryphon Precinct series, about law enforcement in a city in a fantasy world full of elves, dwarves and other mythological creatures, is a blast.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
BD: I’d enjoy a day out with Kato. It’d be interesting to see what he gets up to when the Green Hornet doesn’t have a case. I’m not particularly skilled in technology but I love learning new things and I’d bet he’d have some stuff to teach me. (Not martial arts, this old lady’s joints aren’t up to that!)
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
BD: Brief obligatory note that the third of my WuDang series is about to be finished and sent of to Ron.
However, the one that I’m most excited for, because it’s a whole new series, is the Book Hunters’ Collection, which continues the adventures of the characters in my short story, “The Book Hunter’s Apprentice”.
The concept is that there’s a group of sorcerers whose job is making sure knowledge doesn’t get lost and keeping dangerous knowledge from causing trouble.
The main characters are an older lady and her apprentice, a dragon-carp turned human, and the story will have them chasing after an evil sorcerer and running into various Chinese myths and folkloric beasts in the process.
It’s a fun concept, based in part on the fact that there used to be wanderers in China who would travel from town to town selling books. It also lets me draw heavily on my research into Chinese myth and folklore, as well as create new concepts for my various series.
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While we didn’t have enough evidence to hold Barbara over for further questioning, we definitely had concrete proof she’s culpable in the rise of new pulp fiction. Click here to purchase the evidence for yourself.
Mike Bullock
This week, the investigators at New Pulp Heroes apprehended the site’s Editor-in-Chief, caught in a duplicitous situation of trying to promote new pulp works while simultaneously attempting to create more for the voracious readers. We’re not sure how many statutes and laws this breaks, but he certainly looks guilty of pushing new pulp forward by any means necessary.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
MB: One Saturday afternoon in early childhood I stumbled onto the old Flash Gordon serialized adventures on a local TV station – within seconds I was hooked. That awoke my love for sci-fi and speculative fiction. Soon thereafter Star Wars hit the big screen and cemented my lifelong passion for such things. I got a copy of the original Star Wars novelization at the movie theater and devoured it – the first real novel I’d ever read and it hooked me.
Some time later I went to the local book store looking for something else to read when I stumbled onto a section that had some of the most amazing artwork I’d ever seen outside of a comic book. Images of a Martian Warlord depicted by Michael Whelan and scenes of a Cimmerian wielding an axe in the snow done by Frank Frazetta was all my young mind needed to fall head first into the worlds of John Carter and Conan.
Over the course of the next 2-3 months I read all 11 original John Carter books, every Conan novel available and then launched into Carson of Venus, Pellucidar and beyond. The story telling style of fast paced, page-turning action, hooked my young mind and I never looked back.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
MB: It was during my Phantom run for Moonstone books. I stumbled across some of the works of New Pulp legends Barry Reese and Bobby Nash. That soon led me to Tommy Hancock, Van Allen Plexico and more. I’d been a huge fan of Joe Gentile’s writing for Moonstone, particularly his Mysterious Traveler and Black Shirt tales long before he hired me to write anything for him, but didn’t realize those stories were part of a much larger world of modern day pulp fiction.
Once I was talking with all these great authors, several of them encouraged me to dive in. Then Moonstone lost the Phantom license – one of the saddest days of my career – which led to me pouring my creativity into new pulp.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
MB: First off, everyone who even remotely thinks they might vaguely enjoy anything even slightly resembling new pulp has to – absolutely has to read Barry Reese’s The Rook series. It’s everything that makes new pulp fun, with comic book and serialized TV/Movie storytelling flavors tossed in for good measure. If Barry created these tales back in the 1930s, we’d be mentioning his name alongside Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Henry W. Ralston and all the forefathers of great pulp.
Next, I’d highly recommend Joe Gentile’s work – as the publisher for Moonstone Books, Joe’s not much for self-promotion, so while he’ll push the works of others, he often lets his own simmer on the back burner. And, I’m not just recommending it because Joe publishes a lot of my stuff – our friendship grew out of a mutual admiration for each other’s work. That being said, go get the Mysterious Traveler – that stuff is top notch.
After that, anything and everything from Bobby Nash. Lance Star, Domino Lady, Snow, it’s all good.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
MB: John Carter. All day. The ability to jump the length of a football field, sword fight, fly on a ninth ray powered sky ship… how cool would that be?! Disney World has nothing on Barsoom.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
MB: While I have several things coming down the pike, I can’t talk about any of them in detail at the moment. I will tease that one series of tales coming soon features a team-up of two very iconic original pulp heroes and another focuses on the expanding world of another very popular character I’ve only had the chance to dabble with in the past.
Currently, the thing that makes my writer heart happiest is the debut and resulting warm welcome for my first sword & sorcery novel Runemaster: Shield Maiden’s Blade from Ron Fortier’s Airship 27. I started working on that a decade ago and had to set it aside for nearly eight years before diving back in during the pandemic and finishing it. To date, I’ve had dozens of people tell me how much they love it, which is more than I could have hoped for while writing it. The interior art from Chris Nye is incredible and really captures what I was imagining while typing away.
Now, I’m contemplating how to do a sequel to that book, and formulating an outline for my first space opera novel (novel series?), along the lines of Flash Gordon and Star Wars. Getting back to the sorts of stories that hooked me as a kid and bringing those imaginings to life is literally a dream come true.
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Well we can’t have our EiC sitting around getting lost in his imagination simply to answer questions here, so we had to release him into the custody of some guy in a trench coat, dark glasses and hat who had a wolf with him… so weird…
Stay tuned for another interrogation next week!
Wayne Reinagel
When new pulp first hit the scene, one of the authors who made the biggest splash was none other than Wayne Reinagel. His Pulp Heroes series took the world by storm and Wayne has never looked back. As you can imagine, getting him in the interrogation seat was too good to pass up. Check it out:
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
WR: My first pulp was the Bantam reprint of Doc Savage – The Pirates Ghost. Doc, Monk, and Ham were so unlike any of the characters from the other novels I had been reading, which were mostly Scholastics reprints of Dracula, Frankenstein, War of the Worlds, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and others of that ilk. I was a ten-year-old, naïve country boy and that first Doc Savage novel really hooked me like nothing else. The local store was going out of business and were selling the other Bantam reprints for a dime per book. I begged my parents for a one-dollar advance on my allowance and soon had my first dozen Doc Savage novels. From there, I rapidly discovered The Shadow, The Avenger, The Spider, and others. Hopefully, my love for the classic pulps shows in many of my stories, in terms of pacing, style, and rich, bold characters.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
WR: I might have been one of the first contributors in this New Pulp wave. At the 2006 Windy City Convention, while introducing my first novel, Pulp Heroes – More Than Mortal, I met Ron Fortier and Rob Davis (who already had 2 Captain Hazzard novels published), and Van Allen Plexico (who was busy writing his sprawling Sentinels series). During that same time (although we’ve never met), Barry Reese had already written several novels in his Rook series. From those humble beginnings, a cultural explosion has grown to epic proportions.
During that era, I had been reading articles and online postings, arguing that it would be virtually impossible to do a Doc Savage movie and include all the various supporting characters (the Amazing Five, Pat, Habeas, Chemistry, etc). So, accepting the challenge, I wrote a fan-fiction style novel that included Doc Savage, Avenger, Shadow, Spider, Captain America, Nick Fury, and EVERY one of their associates. Consulting with several professionals, I was told the story was too good not to publish, but that I would NEVER be able to get the various publication rights. So, I went back and re-designed and recreated each and every character from scratch, making them different and unique from the original inspirations. (I have been complimented by several readers who told me that the Pulp Heroes trilogy is unlike anything they have ever read before.)
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
WR: Barry Reese’s Rook and Lazarus Gray, Van Allen Plexico’s Sentinels and Shattering epics, Derrick Ferguson’s Dillon novels, and Bobby Nash’s Snow books. (Sorry, I know that makes four, but all real top-notch stuff!) This collection of stories ranges from classic two-fisted pulp to main-stream comics to cosmic (Jim Starlin style) space opera. The best of the best.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
WR: Definitely Pam Titan – cousin of Doc Titan from my Pulp Heroes novels – because she is the most awesome character I’ve ever written or read. She is heroic, tough, sexy, and self-confident – and always neck-deep in trouble. I would just follow her all day long, being in complete awe. My second choice would be Doc Titan, for many of the same reasons.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
WR: My eighth published novel will either be another Pam Titan (Lovecraftian) solo story or a tale of horror from Doc Titan’s youth, featuring several surprising guest stars. I have them both plotted, outlined, and several chapters already written. (My first seven novels can be found at my website – https://wwwpulpheroesmorethanmortal.webs.com/ I’m proud to say my seventh novel, Pulp Heroes – Sanctuary Falls, won Best Novel of the Year!) I also have another Modern Marvels novel in the works and the first novel in another trilogy on my desk. Meanwhile, I have sketched out rough drawings for more than 250 paintings that need to be completed, featuring scenes from my other books. (An art gallery of my artwork can be found at https://www.deviantart.com/waynereinagel) Honestly, there is not enough hours in the day to complete everything I would like to work on. Speaking of which, I guess I better get back to work.
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There you have it, folks. A look inisde the mind of master storyteller, Wayne Reinagel. If you haven’t already, do yourself a huge favor and click this link to buy his books.
Charles F. Millhouse
It’s really hard to find any commentary on the new pulp movement that doesn’t at least mention accomplished author, Charles F. Millhouse. With that, you can imagine it’s an honor to feature him in our newest interrogation.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
CM: It was somewhere around 1975 I was 10 or 11 years old and my brother introduced me to Conan the Barbarian the old paperback books with Frazetta art. That was the hook, and after that he took me to this old bookstore in Columbus, Ohio… this hole in the wall place stocked full of old magazines, and books… and I cut my teeth on crime dramas, old horror, but it was the adventure stuff that kept my interest.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
CM: The funny thing is I didn’t hear about a resurgence of pulp storytelling. I had been independently publishing for about 13 years, writing straight-line Sci-fi before I decided to write the first Captain Hawklin Adventure, in 2011, because I wanted other people to experience what I did as a kid and hoped young readers might get interested in the Hawklin stories. It wasn’t until after I published the first book that I learned of the “New Pulp” Movement. I was glad I wasn’t the only one still interested in writing this type of story.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
CM: The Lazarus Gray stuff from Barry Rees is some top-notch storytelling. I’m a little envious that I didn’t create it.
Anything from Stephen Jared… “Jack and the Jungle Lion” “The Chameleon Thief of Cairo” it’s good stuff.
Brother Bones by Ron Fortier. Man… anything by Ron, but I do love Brother Bones.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
CM: The Shadow… lol. Fight crime, though he’d be doing the fighting and I’d be staying safe and taking notes.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
CM: I have a couple Pulp related things coming out this year. But I’m most excited about Pulp Reality #2. I want to see if we can catch lightning in a bottle a second time. We have writers and artists leading (and some new) in the new pulp genre, including Bobby Nash, Brian K Morris, Ron Fortier, Clayton Murwin and many many others.
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There you have it, Charles F. Millhouse right on your screen. Make sure to check out his work by clicking here.
Al Bohl
If you’re like us, you love a good space opera. Well, thanks to our next guest, the world of new pulp space operas is bigger and better than ever!
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
AB: While I don’t really know what the word “pulp” means exactly I would say that my real introduction into pulps was through the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. I’ve read many of his books from the Mars stories, to Tarzan and westerns.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
AB: I became interested because I was producing a feature length documentary about the first Tarzan film called “Tarzan of the Apes.” The name of the documentary is “Tarzan: Lord of the Louisiana Jungle.” Here’s the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G_XINKa2EI
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
AB: Bobby Nash, Tommy Hancock and Stephen Jared. Their books are exciting and well written.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
AB: Beyond a doubt, I’d say Tarzan. I’d like to know what he thought of Burroughs and talk to him about how he would have liked to have been portrayed on the silver screen. Also, how did he learn Latin in just three weeks?
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
AB: I’m excited about the new Zaanan book I’m working on at this time. It will be called “Dark Vengeance-Pure Light.” The Zaanan books are all “to be continued” books. Set 500 years into the future, the hero finds himself exiled to a trash island in the Pacific Ocean. He is considered infected with alien-thought by the global government and is hunted by the very Talgent Warriors who once revered him as the greatest warrior ever. Climate change has become a political football where the argument is staged as where or not one believes it is true or not. However, we are and will be drowning in trash. People are willing to pay to create it but not to get rid of it. Zaanan falls in with a group who believes litter can only be dealt with by burning it in the magma of the earth’s core. I feel readers will find this story fascinating as to how this could be accomplished and how it might go very wrong. Murphy’s Law will be in full force.
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There you have it folks, all the answers that are fit to print from Al Bohl. Click here to check out his work.
Mark Allen Vann
For Season Two, Week Two, New Pulp Heroes sat down with none other than the infamous Mark Allen Vann. If you don’t know who Mark is yet, you will.
In the meantime, let’s dive right in.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
MAV: My first taste of pulp of any sort was when I was reading my dad’s Conan books. I don’t recall the first specific story that really caught my imagination, but if I was to guess it would either by The Tower Of The Elephant or The Frost Giant’s Daughter. I was instantly enamored with the colorful descriptions, the exciting action and adventure, the larger-than-life characters. It all spoke to my adolescent mind and imagination. I was soon hooked. After that came Tarzan and from there, I explored further and began reading science fiction, adventure and a bunch of Zane Grey’s. The genie had been released from the bottle and there was no going back.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
MAV: It was not until the last couple of years that I had heard of the phrase ‘New Pulp’, but I have always been a voracious reader and my interests have always been in the directions of pulp. As a writer I had been toiling away trying to write one novel or another and hitting a variety of roadblocks, primarily from my own lack of focus, but also from barking up the wrong tree as it were. I would do various writing clinics and I think I was just working in the wrong circles. Then in 2019 I began to hear about New Pulp and all the great writers, characters and stories that companies like Airship 27 and Pro Se Press were putting out and immediately everything seemed to click. I went to Pulpfest that year as a fan and immersed myself in the mixture with some of the top writers of New Pulp, meeting a few like minded folks and in no time, I was able to finally finish my first book.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
MAV: This is really a challenging question for me as there are so many talented writers who are sailing the New Pulp waters and I would be loath to overlook or short-change any of them.
But since you did mention three, I would have to first mention Ron Fortier’s Brother Bones, who is personally my favorite New Pulp character. Besides being a fantastic character in his own right, the setting of Cape Noire is rife with a ton of colorful characters such as Sister Blood and Harry Beest. The setting is the epitome of what pulp is to me.
I would also have to include Charles Millhouse’s Captain Hawklin as another great addition to the crowded New Pulp scene. He is a pastiche of sorts of that there is no question, but like Ron Fortier’s, the writing is straight forward with a focus on the characters and action and not on how many fifty-cent descriptives can be tossed into the mix.
Finally, I would have to give a shout to Frank Dirscherl’s Wraith character. Eight books and counting (plus a book put out by Airship 27), there is plenty of magic to be found on this character. I think these would all serve well as a great introduction into just what New Pulp is all about.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
MAV: I would love to spend a full day watching Hercule Poirot’s ‘little gray cells’ do their magic. I think it would be fun to play the little Belgian’s sidekick for a day as he unwraps the layers of some twisted murder mystery, particularly in some exotic setting. Heck, it would be nice to have a short vacation anyway.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
MAV: This is another challenging question as I am working on two books that will be coming out (hopefully) by the end of 2021 as well as beginning to dabble in writing for other publishers as well. Still in the infancy of my writing career, I do have a pretty full plate ahead of me. I guess at this point I would say since my sequel to my first book is going to be my next major release, this would be my biggest focus and cause for excitement. Titled The Fateful Eight, it follows the same protagonists as my debut, Eight Against The Darkness. While my first book was 35 years in the making, this one will be following behind by only a year, which would, I feel, be a significant accomplishment for myself. It would build on the momentum I am finally building for my writing career. I hope for those that have read the first book, that it would allow them to see the story arc progress and hopefully draw them further into the setting as a whole.
Thank you again for allowing me this opportunity to share a few moments inside the insanity of my mind.
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You’re very welcome, Mark! Thank you for participating and bringing even more great escapism to the New Pulp market.
Click here to grab your copy of Eight Against the Darkness!
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Sean Taylor
This week, we dive in with author Sean Taylor, a fixture in the New Pulp Fiction world for many years.
Question One: Thinking of the first pulp story that grabbed you, what was it and what about it hooked you?
ST: It was the action, plan and simple. For me, it actually wasn’t the pulp mags or even the reprints, it was the pulpish sci-fi like John Carter and the short novels in the paperback racks when I was younger. Those things hit me right where my imagination lived. And they were just so out there.
Question Two: When did you first hear about the resurgence of pulp storytelling and why did you feel compelled to contribute to it?
ST: I learned that I had internalized that style of storytelling and kind of blended it with my literary thinking thanks to my English degree (with a focus in American Lit). I had been writing super hero stories for Cyber Age Adventures (later iHero Entertainment) and my friend Bobby Nash recommended that I get in touch with Ron Fortier at Airship 27, which then led to me getting to know Tommy Hancock over at Pro Se Press, and the rest, as the cliche goes is history.
I was drawn to the opportunity to tell some fun stories with some new pulp characters like Lance Star and later Rick Ruby, and also to play in some of the old playgrounds like Armless O’Neill and Black Bat and Golden Amazon later at Moonstone.
Question Three: Recommend 3 new pulp properties (from other creators) you really dig and why you think other people would enjoy them also.
ST: Easy. Dillon from Derrick Ferguson. This guy gets it. He knows character and pulp action and he blends them in a way I love.
Snow from Bobby Nash. Bobby flexes his pulp action muscles but in a way that recreates the 70s and 80s cop and detective TV shows. Big wins all around.
Tommy Hancock’s brilliant concepts for anthologies over at Pro Se. Black Pulp. Asian Pulp. Fairy Tale inspired pulp. Genius. He encourages writers to put new spins on already known concepts to forge anew the future of new pulp fiction.
Question Four: Here’s the cheesy question: If you could spend 24 hours with any old or new pulp character, who would it be and what would you do?
ST: Easy. Old pulp would be Golden Amazon. We’d talk politics and address her penchant toward authoritarianism. New pulp? That would be my own Rick Ruby. Rick’s the guy I’d just love to sit in a bar (most likely Belle’s) and share a few shots of whiskey with while we both admire the way Evelyn’s dress hangs off her hips.
Question Five: Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most and why should people get excited about it with you?
ST: I’ve got two this year in particular I’m really excited about.
The first is A Crowd in Babylon, a horror collection I’ve been writing for years. I love horror short stories, and I love to mix the pulp style with some pretty far out concepts like string theory, time travel, haunted houses, and selling your soul to the devil.
The second is Giddy and Euphoric. It’s a collection of nonfiction essays about writing and reading with a great preoccupation with pulp storytelling.
I’m really looking forward to both of these because thus far I’ve been mainly in anthologies with other writers, and I’m really looking forward to charting my other path with some collections that are all mine.
New Pulp Heroes wants to thank Sean for all his contributions to the New Pulp Fiction movement over the years. Without amazing creators like Sean, the future wouldn’t be as bright. You can grab some of Sean’s great work by clicking here.
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