The Black Falcon / The Salamanders

by Walter B. Gibson

The legendary super-sleuth returns in two more pulp classics by Walter Gibson (writing as Maxwell Grant). In The Black Falcon (1934), Lamont Cranston is abducted by a kidnapper who unearths secrets from The Shadow¹s mysterious past. Then, the Knight of Darkness must defeat a Dragon of Fire before the city becomes a blazing inferno in The Salamanders, an action-packed 1936 thrill ride. This instant collector's item also features the original pulp covers by George Rozen, interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and "The Island of Ancient Death," a bonus Shadow story adapted from the MBS broadcast to pulp format by radio scriptwriter Gibson Scott Fox.

Genres: Pulp, Mystery, Crime

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2005

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

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two enjoyable Shadow thrillers are backed by several complementary features by Will Murray and Anthony Tollin as well as a vintage Shadow radio script by Gibson Scott Fox. It all adds up to a first-rate edition of The Shadow reprint magazine. Count me in for many more!

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A particularly good outing in the Sanctum Books Shadow Double novel series.

“The Black Falcon” sees The Shadow using deception and his multitude of secret identities to uncover the surprising culprit of a number of millionaire kidnappings.

Then in one of my new favourite Shadow stories, the owner of a power company covers his theft of stock certificates with the help of a band of violent arsonists known only as “The Salamanders.” Action abounds in this story filled with chases, narrow escapes, and daring rescues.

I highly recommend this volume for fans and newcomers to the character.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

More pulp goodness with the Shadow. Recommended for those who like Batman.