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The Great Pulp Heroes
Here is an affectionate look back at the outsized heroes who once occupied the imagination of millions of loyal readers. The Shadow. Tarzan. Doc Savage. Captain Future. The Spider. Zorro. They were the original super guys-godfathers and inspiration to the likes of Superman, Batman and James Bond. Fascinating and informative, The Great Pulp Heroes is a lively and entertaining history of those fabulous characters, of the gaudy, glorious magazines that spawned them, and of the amazing wordsmiths who churned out their monthly adventures.
276 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 3, 2010
I'm rereading this gem of a book for some research. It covers a wide swathe of pulp history and the details on the major (and some minor) pulp figures from the 1920's through the 1940's. It's a refresher course of why I love these characters and the near-genre.
August 19, 2019
Now in 2019, there are many books about the Age of Pulp, its art, the writers and the stories themselves, but back 1995 I brought this book and it is excellent overview of that period. Walking through these page are The Shadow(Foe of the Underworld), The Spider(the murderous protector of NYC), Doc Savage(The Science Hero), who foes are not common thugs, but city destroyers, black magicians, warlords, zombies or mad scientists with a chemical sets.
Also are details about the different publishers, the artists and in the end how the entire industry came to end after WWII.
A great read.
Also are details about the different publishers, the artists and in the end how the entire industry came to end after WWII.
A great read.
August 18, 2011
This is a great idea for a book, but the execution is poor. It is a survey of the major continuing heroes in pulp magazines, tracing their motifs, fortunes, and longevity. This should be a real benefit to anyone studying hero pulps, since the originals are so expensive and hard to find. The problem is that Hutchison does not do it very well. The bare facts are useful, but they are too bare. There is no criticism to enlighten about these characters and their times, no study of the group to track what made some heroes popular and others fail, and very little insight at all. The bare facts are useful to a degree, but mean very little, really.
The other problem is that Hutchison is a rather bad writer. I wanted to edit his prose. Constantly. He brings in his own memories and feeling about these characters, and does it a lot. I'm sure this is meaningful to him, but not to me, nor, I daresay, to most readers. He is lucky to have found a publisher for this book--so lucky that I wonder if it is self-published.
I’m not saying do not buy or read this book. Though it was hugely overpriced for the little that it delivered, it was more informative than not reading it, but you can do just as well on the internet.
The other problem is that Hutchison is a rather bad writer. I wanted to edit his prose. Constantly. He brings in his own memories and feeling about these characters, and does it a lot. I'm sure this is meaningful to him, but not to me, nor, I daresay, to most readers. He is lucky to have found a publisher for this book--so lucky that I wonder if it is self-published.
I’m not saying do not buy or read this book. Though it was hugely overpriced for the little that it delivered, it was more informative than not reading it, but you can do just as well on the internet.
January 23, 2016
A great pulp reference book. If you want to start learning about the pulp heroes start with this book. Very recommended
January 7, 2024
Don Hutchison, the author of this volume, is/was a Canadian author living in Toronto. On of the areas he wrote on was the subject of popular culture. This book is a collection of articles on various pulp magazine heroes he had previously written. Unfortunately the book does not give the original publicatishing of these articles. Two I know were published in The New Captain George's Whizzbang, a nostalgia magazine out of Toronto, as I first read them there back in the seventies. This is why the book seems at times disjointed, as the articles were not originally connected as a single narrative. Of course there are chapters on The Shadow and Doc Savage, as these are probably the best two known characters, however there are quite a few others covered as well. The book is quite readable but at the same time is quite informative. Mr Huctchinson certainly appears to know his field, and imparts that knowledge in a manor that makes the reader willing to follow along. There are also various types of illustrations scattered throughout the book which do serve to break up the text. For those who have an interest in the old pulp heroes I suggest that this a book to add to your library. Happy reading.
May 26, 2021
Sadly, this book is becoming harder to find. It is the best examination of a rarely-studied literary art form, the pulp magazine, which dominated American newsstands in the years before comic books in the 1920s and 1930s. Many people are familiar with the Shadow, but not as many know Doc Savage--or G8 and his Battle Aces...or the Spider. This is a fun book which examines not only the characters themselves, but brings you back to a simpler time when good was good and bad was bad, and you could put your gum under your seat and root for the good guys. If you are unfamiliar with this, please give this book a try--and even better, a read.
December 29, 2017
Libro que revisa exclusivamente a los heroes pulp del primer tercio del siglo 20. Estos heroes fueron precursores de los superhéroes comiqueros. Tras un capítulo que trata sobre esa epoca dorada, los siguientes se enfocan en sendos personajes, resumiendo sus andanzas editoriales y la cronológica de sus aventuras. Con muy buena información y pocos graficos de la época. Entre otros nos encontramos con los famosos The Shadow, Doc Savage y The Spider. Y otros no tanto como The Black Bat. Muy recomendable para interesados en el fenómeno de los superhéroes en general.
December 30, 2019
Overall a great overview of the hero pulps with in depth coverage of all the major hero books. Slightly disappointed in the skimpy coverage of some genres and characters - namely western heroes and space heroes. Guessing this was limited due to space constraints or lack of knowledge on the part of the author. Definitely a recommended read for those looking for an introduction to the hero pulps.
July 24, 2017
Nostalgic and fun, even if you didn't live through the pulp era. Could have used a bibliography.
May 28, 2020
Interesting and
October 8, 2012
In the heyday of the pulp fiction magazine, there were titles for every interest: detective stories, adventure stories, romance, westerns, on and on. But the most memorable were the "hero pulps," in which one great adventurer, often nearly superhuman, would appear every month with a new novel-length tale.
This book is an essential guide to those hero pulps, beginning with the "big four" immortal characters: The black-cloaked Shadow and his twin .45s; Doc Savage – supreme adventurer and forerunner of Superman; the over-the-top, huge-scale vigilantism of The Spider; and G-8: the WWI flying ace/spy who fought air zombies and giant vampire bats.
For each of these heroes, and many of their less famous rivals, Hutchison offers an overview of their characters and characteristics, quick sketches of their primary authors, and an accounting of their histories from first fevered inspiration to final publication. Most of these characters came in with a bang and went out with a whimper, victims of changing tastes and rising production costs. Many never stood a chance, being too derivative or too dull or even (hard as it is to believe after one encounters The Spider or Operator #5) too weird to attract an audience. Hutchison regards them all with a loving but sometimes critical eye and a fine sense of humor.
Like the pulps themselves, it's a flawed product. The chapters all feel the same after a while, and sometimes lack in depth. The writing can get a bit breathless in some spots or turn into a series of lists in others, and it's in sore need of a proofreader: typos and repetition appear all over the place (at least in the 1996 edition -- hopefully the 2007 reissue fixed some of this). But any lover of hero pulps wondering where to turn next will find it an invaluable resource.
This book is an essential guide to those hero pulps, beginning with the "big four" immortal characters: The black-cloaked Shadow and his twin .45s; Doc Savage – supreme adventurer and forerunner of Superman; the over-the-top, huge-scale vigilantism of The Spider; and G-8: the WWI flying ace/spy who fought air zombies and giant vampire bats.
For each of these heroes, and many of their less famous rivals, Hutchison offers an overview of their characters and characteristics, quick sketches of their primary authors, and an accounting of their histories from first fevered inspiration to final publication. Most of these characters came in with a bang and went out with a whimper, victims of changing tastes and rising production costs. Many never stood a chance, being too derivative or too dull or even (hard as it is to believe after one encounters The Spider or Operator #5) too weird to attract an audience. Hutchison regards them all with a loving but sometimes critical eye and a fine sense of humor.
Like the pulps themselves, it's a flawed product. The chapters all feel the same after a while, and sometimes lack in depth. The writing can get a bit breathless in some spots or turn into a series of lists in others, and it's in sore need of a proofreader: typos and repetition appear all over the place (at least in the 1996 edition -- hopefully the 2007 reissue fixed some of this). But any lover of hero pulps wondering where to turn next will find it an invaluable resource.
June 21, 2012
Really enjoyed the almost whimsical look back at the heroes of the pulp magazine era. Mr. Hutchison places everything in a historical context, but looks at it with a fan-friendly eye. He takes his mission seriously, but not overly so. The tone is informative and conversational.
The book is broken up into chapters centered on specific heroes. The "big" ones, (The Shadow, Doc Savage, The Spider, etc) are at the front of the book. Lesser characters and knock-offs are later and some of them are grouped together. Each chapter is basically an overview and timeline of the hero and his creator/publisher. A very logical and easy-to-use format.
There were some typos, but nothing to detract from the overall experience. My only real complaint, is that he spends a great deal of copy on the big guns: Shadow, Doc, Spider, et al., which is excellent, and to be expected. But not a lot on Tarzan—arguably the longest and largest pulp tail to wag—and none on John Carter (the precursor of many modern Sci-Fi/Fantasy heroes). But the biggest gap in the history is the omission of Robert E. Howard's Conan of Cimmeria. Conan got his start in the pulps, the same as the others, but—especially in the last 40 years—has roared his way into so many other mediums. So much so, that if you ask people on the street which name strikes a chord, Shadow, Doc, Tarzan or Conan the Barbarian, more people will flash recognition at the Cimmerian. I'm a fan of Conan, so maybe this bothered me more than most, but even from a historical perspective, I would have thought he should have gotten a mention.
Still, a fun and informative read. A great look at the Titans, the precursors, of our modern American pantheon of comic book, movie and TV heroes.
The book is broken up into chapters centered on specific heroes. The "big" ones, (The Shadow, Doc Savage, The Spider, etc) are at the front of the book. Lesser characters and knock-offs are later and some of them are grouped together. Each chapter is basically an overview and timeline of the hero and his creator/publisher. A very logical and easy-to-use format.
There were some typos, but nothing to detract from the overall experience. My only real complaint, is that he spends a great deal of copy on the big guns: Shadow, Doc, Spider, et al., which is excellent, and to be expected. But not a lot on Tarzan—arguably the longest and largest pulp tail to wag—and none on John Carter (the precursor of many modern Sci-Fi/Fantasy heroes). But the biggest gap in the history is the omission of Robert E. Howard's Conan of Cimmeria. Conan got his start in the pulps, the same as the others, but—especially in the last 40 years—has roared his way into so many other mediums. So much so, that if you ask people on the street which name strikes a chord, Shadow, Doc, Tarzan or Conan the Barbarian, more people will flash recognition at the Cimmerian. I'm a fan of Conan, so maybe this bothered me more than most, but even from a historical perspective, I would have thought he should have gotten a mention.
Still, a fun and informative read. A great look at the Titans, the precursors, of our modern American pantheon of comic book, movie and TV heroes.
January 19, 2011
I didn't actually read this whole thing; I skipped the last few chapters. But I don't feel I missed anything: every chapter was pretty much the same, just with a different subject. Sometimes, the subjects weren't even different!
Going into this, I think I was expecting something more scholarly. As an anecdotal look back at a time when the author's greatest joy was the pulp novel, replete with direct correspondences with pulp authors, this works well. It describes numerous characters and tropes, as well as what pulp novels and magazines meant to the generations who lived and enjoyed them (or not) at their height. As a scholarly look at the form and function of pulp as a literary movement, however, it falls rather flat, mostly because of the personal tone the author takes towards everything. I got the feeling that he was just discussing the titles that he liked the most, or that he actually read as a child. Zorro isn't even discussed, only mentioned.
Overall, I'm glad I picked this up, because as a starting point and, again, a treatise on the importance of pulp to its readers, this was great for someone like me, who's looking to pick up the pulp authoring mantle in a perhaps-not-ironic way.
Going into this, I think I was expecting something more scholarly. As an anecdotal look back at a time when the author's greatest joy was the pulp novel, replete with direct correspondences with pulp authors, this works well. It describes numerous characters and tropes, as well as what pulp novels and magazines meant to the generations who lived and enjoyed them (or not) at their height. As a scholarly look at the form and function of pulp as a literary movement, however, it falls rather flat, mostly because of the personal tone the author takes towards everything. I got the feeling that he was just discussing the titles that he liked the most, or that he actually read as a child. Zorro isn't even discussed, only mentioned.
Overall, I'm glad I picked this up, because as a starting point and, again, a treatise on the importance of pulp to its readers, this was great for someone like me, who's looking to pick up the pulp authoring mantle in a perhaps-not-ironic way.
September 18, 2011
A handbook for those wanting more info on the pulp heroes. Nicely written. This guy knows his stuff. Lots of info here that was new to me, and I'm a pretty big pulp geek.
The book is split into sections, each of the big name iconic heroes get their own chapter, followed by another four or five chapters detailing some of the lesser known guys by genre.
So, after you get to read about Doc Savage, the Shadow and Captain Future, there are chapters about 'air heroes', bad guys that got their own magazines, jungle heroes and the more obscure masked detectives.
Each chapter follows the same format and gives you the same type of history of the character and their creator, so it can get a bit repeatative. You'd be better off reading a chapter than taking a break.
The book is split into sections, each of the big name iconic heroes get their own chapter, followed by another four or five chapters detailing some of the lesser known guys by genre.
So, after you get to read about Doc Savage, the Shadow and Captain Future, there are chapters about 'air heroes', bad guys that got their own magazines, jungle heroes and the more obscure masked detectives.
Each chapter follows the same format and gives you the same type of history of the character and their creator, so it can get a bit repeatative. You'd be better off reading a chapter than taking a break.
August 21, 2008
Burrowing through the thousands -- yes, THOUSANDS -- of novels published in the pulp magazine era is an intimidating task, to say the least, but Hutchison's entertaining and informative look back is a great place to start. Suffice to say, after reading this I NEED to pick up some installments of the absolutly insane adventures of The Spider -- and start a campaign to bring Operator 8's war against the Purple Empire back into print. Before there were superheroes, there were pulp heroes -- and this is a great look at why they were so beloved.
February 23, 2016
This is a really fascinating book about various pulp heroes. It starts out with some background on the pulps, then has separate chapters on the Shadow, Doc Savage, G-8, The Spider, Operator #5, Tarzan and various others, including Captain Future, airplane pulp characters, and even a couple of rather strange villains like The Octopus.
There's also a section of black-and-white cover reproductions of some of the pulps.
If you are at all interested in pulps, this will be an excellent addition to your collection of reference materials.
There's also a section of black-and-white cover reproductions of some of the pulps.
If you are at all interested in pulps, this will be an excellent addition to your collection of reference materials.
September 28, 2015
Ever since reading my first Tarzan book and my first Shadow story, I have been a fan of the Pulps. This is a good book on the various Pulp heroes of the Pulp magazine era. I think the only pulp hero that Mr. Hutchison missed was Robert E. Howard's Conan. Otherwise, he does a good job covering all the popular heroes and even a couple that had short runs. Definitely would recommend it to any fan of Pulp magazines.
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August 22, 2008The Great Pulp Heroes by Don Hutchison (2007)
September 11, 2012
Made me want to read a bunch of the old pulp serials. Would have liked more behind the scenes on the writers who put out so many words for a penny each though.
March 1, 2013
Every bit as much fun as the great pulp heroes the author celebrates.
August 8, 2015
I bought this book for background on the Spyder character novels by Norvell Page. Hutchison's prose is wonderfully pulpish at times. Enjoyable read.
Good for pulp history.
Good for pulp history.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews