Was this magazine formerly "Spicy Western"? I seem to remember reading an interview where Robert Leslie Bellem said that "pressure from somewhere" caused Spicy Detective to change its title to Speed Detective or Hollywood Detective. I would assume that the other "Spicy" titles were subjected to the same "pressure."
Also, I believe Laurence Donovan, under the "Kenneth Robeson" house name, wrote some Doc Savage stories, although I don't know offhand which ones.
Exactly right about the name change, TC. Same writers, just toned down on the blue, and not such lurid covers. The Speed line continued right up through to the end of the pulp magazine era.
Yeah, what Steve said. And Hollywood Detective was a spin-off from Spicy Detective. It and Speed Detective outlived the Spicy mags by many years, both featuring Dan Turner stories. And yeah, Donovan wrote The Roar Devil, Murder Melody, Murder Mirage, The Men Who Smiled No More, The Haunted Ocean, Cold Death, Land of Long Juju, Mad Eyes and He Could Stop the World, often with editing from Lester Dent.
A "Bondage in the West" motif?
ReplyDeleteWas this magazine formerly "Spicy Western"? I seem to remember reading an interview where Robert Leslie Bellem said that "pressure from somewhere" caused Spicy Detective to change its title to Speed Detective or Hollywood Detective. I would assume that the other "Spicy" titles were subjected to the same "pressure."
ReplyDeleteAlso, I believe Laurence Donovan, under the "Kenneth Robeson" house name, wrote some Doc Savage stories, although I don't know offhand which ones.
Exactly right about the name change, TC. Same writers, just toned down on the blue, and not such lurid covers. The Speed line continued right up through to the end of the pulp magazine era.
ReplyDeleteYeah, what Steve said. And Hollywood Detective was a spin-off from Spicy Detective. It and Speed Detective outlived the Spicy mags by many years, both featuring Dan Turner stories. And yeah, Donovan wrote The Roar Devil, Murder Melody, Murder Mirage, The Men Who Smiled No More, The Haunted Ocean, Cold Death, Land of Long Juju, Mad Eyes and He Could Stop the World, often with editing from Lester Dent.
ReplyDelete