Category: Non-fiction

New Article: John Gunnison and the Home for Adventure

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My newest PulpFest Profile is live today. This time, I’ve interviewed John Gunnison of Adventure House. Adventure House is my first shopping stop at every pulp convention. There’s always something wonderful to see, and even books that I can afford to purchase! His reprints are of special interest to me, I keep a bunch on hand for research purposes. I’m excited to find out more about Adventure House and I’ll bet you are, too! Read the article here.

New article — “Pulp History — The Thrills of 1931”

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The Thrills of 1931 ad

I didn’t know too much about Ned L. Pines before writing this article. Of course, I was familiar with the Thrilling  group of pulp magazines (I’m very fond of Thrilling Wonder Stories), and some of his other titles, Captain Future, for example. What I discovered was an ambitious and competent publisher who made a big mark on the Depression-era pulp magazine industry. This month we celebrate the 90th anniversaries of his first three magazines — Thrilling Detective, Thrilling Love, and Thrilling Adventures. FIND OUT MORE about Ned L. Pines at…

New Article — “Allen Steele — Captain Future and Beyond”

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Allen Steele interview meme

One of the best parts of being a journalist is that you get to talk to interesting people. Allen Steele and I have a few things in common. We’re about the same age, have a long history writing for, or about, science fiction, and we both have a thing for Edmond Hamilton’s character, Captain Future. (And yes, I know, other people wrote Cap. Future besides Hamilton, but his stories were the best…no one wrote Curt Newton and the Futuremen like he did.) Contemporary author, Allen Steele, has written several new…

Happy Birthday to Murray Leinster (and a new article)

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Today is Murray Leinster’s birthday. He is, without a doubt, one of my very favorite science fiction writers. Leinster started publishing before 1920 and was was still publishing sci-fi teleplays and novels into the late 1960’s for TV shows such as “Time Tunnel.” (And since he pioneered (YES, pioneered!) the entire subgenre of multiple reality sci-fi stories, working on “Time Tunnel” is entirely appropriate.) My new article — “PulpFest Historical- 125 Years of Murray Leinster” is live now at the PulpFest blog so head over there and check it out!…

Good reviews are always welcome

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My new Captain Future article just got a nice mention from the Little Red Reviewer in this week’s Vintage Sci-Fi Round Up! Sara Light-Waller has an excellent profile of Captain Future, at PulpFest. The mythos of Captain Future goes back to the first Worldcon, how cool is that? I’ve seen other nice comments on social media as well. Feeling very grateful today. 🙂

PulpFest Profile — Eighty Years of CAPTAIN FUTURE

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Captain Future Vol. 3, No. 2 (Fall, 1941). Cover Art by George Rozen

Oh, for a handsome man in a space suit! *heavy sigh* Curtis Newton, Captain Future, was space opera hero of the 21st Century. Born in 1990, he was the solar system’s greatest defender. Curt was a genius inventor with flaming red hair, a ready laugh and a keen eye for justice. Superman’s Fortress of Solitude was inspired by Future’s secluded base on the Moon. And the Bat-Signal by his North Pole flare. His unhuman sidekicks included a robot, an android, and a disembodied brain. Yes, it all sounds very corny…

An ASTOUNDING 90 Years

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Astounding Science-Fiction, March 1938.

When PulpFest’s blog editor asked me to write an article about Astounding/Analog’s 90th birthday I had only the slightest idea of what I’d be writing about. Oh sure, I knew the magazine and I knew that John W. Campbell, Jr. was a hugely important figure in the history of science fiction. He had an extraordinarily long tenure as the magazine’s editor (from late 1937 until his death in 1971) and during that time shaped science fiction as we know it. Here’s a delightful video about him on YouTube.  As I…