The Living Joss / Judge Lawless

The Shadow - Sanctum Reprints #51

by Walter B. Gibson

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! The Knight of Darkness battles strange supercrime in two pulp thrillers by Walter Gibson that foreshadowed classic Batman stories. First, The Shadow goes undercover in Chinatown to battle one of his deadliest foes, the legendary oriental demi-god known as Kwa, The Living Joss. Then, what can prevent Judge Lawless from making a mockery of the law? Only The Shadow knows! BONUS: Djaruti, Goddess of Death, a lost Orson Welles thriller from the Golden Age of Radio! This instant collectors' item features both classic cover paintings by George Rozen, the original interior pulp illustrations by Tom Lovell and Paul Orban and historical commentary by Anthony Tollin.

Genres: Mystery, Pulp

Paperback

Published January 1, 2011

About the author

Walter Brown Gibson (September 12, 1897-December 6, 1985) was an American author and professional magician best known for his work on the pulp fiction character The Shadow. Gibson, under the pen-name Maxwell Grant, wrote "more than 300 novel-length" Shadow stories, writing up to "10,000 words a day" to satisfy public demand during the character's golden age in the 1930s and 1940s.

Reviews

[Karl]

Two Shadow stories which inspired the work of Batman creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
"The Living Joss" (1933): A mysterious figure has arisen in Chinatown and is linked to a series of crimes. Decent story, but plagued with the usual Yellow Peril style racial stereotypes. 2½ stars.
"Judge Lawless" (1942): Another crime lord but one with a judge-courtroom gimmick and a deep psychological wound. No less than eight of The Shadow's operatives are in on this case (including Margo Lane), though most appear only briefly. 3½/4 stars.
There's a bonus story, "Djaruti, Goddess of Death" (1938): Script of a lost Orson Welles & Agnes Moorehead era Shadow radio show. It somewhat parallels "The Living Joss" in concept. 2½/3 stars.