Harvey Kutzman's HEY LOOK!

GANGLAND'S DOOM - The Shadow of the Pulps (50th Anniversary Edition)

Frank Eisgruber’s 1974 book GANGLAND’S DOOM was the result of a herculean effort—reading all 325 Shadow pulp novels and gathering his insights into a very readable narrative. I devoured that slim volume (see HERE) with great interest way back when, and have perused it again several times since, but this new 50th Anniversary Edition from the gang at The Shadowed Circle offers a whole new experience. First, it’s a lot easier to look at (the original was set in in tiny typewriter type). Second, it has a fair amount of new material (much of it provided by the author himself!) And finally, it has far more visual appeal, with eight fine new illustrations by Joseph Booth. Mr. Eisgruber’s groundbreaking work has finally been showcased in the format it deserves.      

Kicking things off are new introductions by publisher Steve Donoso, and the most renown Shadowologist of our time, Mr. Will Murray. Then, along with the original Preface by Robert Weinberg, we get a new one from Mr. Eisgruber himself, offering insight on how the book came to be, his own relationship the with the character. And as a bonus, the book is capped off with a new and enlightening interview with the author himself. It’s all great stuff. 

The first twenty pages take a deep dive into The Shadow himself, focusing on everything known—and unknown—about our hero’s personal history and true identity. Another dozen pages delve into The Shadow’s many guises, both real and assumed. 

More than forty pages are devoted to the agents and allies, detailing where they appeared, the roles they played and their importance to The Shadow’s operation. Further chapters focus on the recurring villains (there are eleven of them!), The Shadow’s Sanctum, and the surprising variety of story settings, stretching across the country and around the world. There’s also an all-new chapter noting some surprising “easter egg” type discoveries. 

Then it’s onto the Appendices: Eisgruber’s response to Philip Jose Farmer’s Wold Newton assertions, the rundown on the magazine’s three raconteurs, and a list of all 325 stories. And if that weren’t enough, we’re treated to two letters the author wrote not long after the publication of the original edition, dealing with his interaction with Walter B. Gibson and his reaction to Will Murray’s Duende History of the Shadow Magazine. Very cool stuff you won’t find anywhere else. 

This 50th Anniversary Edition is available in both hardcover and trade paperback, with two equally great covers. Can you resist owning them both? Only The Shadow knows!

PLEASE NOTE: Ordering directly from The Shadowed Circle at the link below will help support their fine journal.

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theshadowedcircle.com%2Findex.php%2Fother-books&data=05%7C02%7C%7C1fbba20890b54411231708ddbd79090e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638875049755178489%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=2p1C2kDf8MC66n2L95Bgl%2BXlBc%2BAUU%2Bp%2BMgDbM%2B5Sx8%3D&reserved=0

SPICY ADVENTURE Stories - 1937-38

"Sea Racketeers" and Other Movie Posters of 1937

THE SHADOW Ends the Voodoo Hoodoo (1947)

SHERLOCKO the Monk (1912)

Basil Wolverton's FLAP FLIPFLOP is back! (1948)

DOC SAVAGE Comics: "The Beggar of Hate" (1943)