I got into old time radio as a kid. One of my grade school teachers played a flexi-disc of one of the Shadow's show from Read magazine (remember that?). Recently a friend gifted me with some old Shadow paperbacks from the early 60's:
(http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc311/illoman/Shadow4.jpg)
(http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc311/illoman/Shadow3.jpg)
And the rest:
(http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc311/illoman/Shadow2.jpg)
(http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc311/illoman/Shadow1.jpg)
I love that style of artwork on the covers. Jim Steranko would later add his own awesome vision of the Shadow. My brother collected several of those.
Oh yeah, I love the Shadow! I have all of the old paperbacks, the Belmont, Bantam, and Jove editions. I have all of the comic from the 70's on up. A few pulps. The Kaluta bust from the 90's and all of Kaluta's Shadow prints plus a page of original art from his run on the comic back in the 70's. I have an autographed photo and book by Walter Gibson. I'm also a big fan of The Spider.
Here's a cool Shadow site:
http://cobaltclub.ning.com/ (http://cobaltclub.ning.com/)
Oh yesssss....definitely. If you need any of the OTR programs, let me know. I can help. ;) I also have the bowen bust, the Electric tiki statue and ring, and would love to own the 1/6 figure that Go Hero was supposed to come out with(on hiatus/delayed?). I gots the comics from the 1970's on. Loves me some Shadow!!!
(http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/9658/1000862l.jpg)
(http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5984/1000683z.jpg)
Excellent! Glad to see some love for the Shadow!! Anton, thanks for the offer but I've got hundreds of Shadow radio shows I haven't heard yet!! ;D
Both you gents have some awesome items in your collections. Wish I could find out some history of this item:
(http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc311/illoman/Flexi.jpg)
I got it in grade school if memory serves. It was in an issue of Read magazine. It was one of my earliest exposures to the world of old time radio.
Yup big fan of the shadow, Doc Savage, the avenger, the spider and all the other pulp characters. even modern day pulps like Mignolas Lobster johnson and hellboy.
Personally I think The Spider SMOKES the Shadow. I LOVE the OTR and first Shadow serial but the books are kinda boring. Even more than the Phantom Detective. Read some of The Spider Reprints. Violent Weird Menace Vs underground/incognito detective.
Many years ago I bought one of those plastic comic bags, with 4 or 5 comics in it..........left it sealed for years. Finally tore it open and found a Kaluta Shadow #1 in the middle.........a wonderful suprise! Buddy
I bought all those Shadow/Kaluta books when they first came out in the 70's. Wrightson inked one issue which was just a stunning combination. I was really disappointed years later when Harlan Ellison was supposed to write a Shadow graphic novel which Kaluta would illustrate. It never happened.
I hope some day someone can make a decent Shadow film. The Baldwin one was horrible. I remember taking my dad to see it for Father's Day. We both left the theater shaking our heads. I told him I still owed him a gift! ;)
Many moons ago I sculpted this Shadow...........
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd344/bigbud3/DSCN0146.jpg)
Nice, Bud!! What did you use to sculpt him?
I Love the Shadow and the wealthy man about town Lamont Cranston. I have all of the program on tape and a few on LP and I have no telling how many comics. I own a Shadow fanclub ring and if I have some time I'll take a picture and post it. :D
Cool Shadow sculpt -- but I'm also digging that carnival chalkware Superman! I have one that is, oddly enough. painted yellow!
Here is the pic of my Shadow Club Ring. If I'm not mistaken I joined somewere in the 90's and got the ring in the mail. I also kept all the Shadow Club newsletters and all kinds of cool stuff.
(http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad121/Night_Breed_29/DSCN4403.jpg)
QuoteCool Shadow sculpt -- but I'm also digging that carnival chalkware Superman! I have one that is, oddly enough. painted yellow!
Hi ya Terry! I've got a yellow one too! Several chalk collectors believe him to be Capt. Marvel........Buddy
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd344/bigbud3/batmantroll001.jpg)
Hi ya Illo! I sculpted him in wax and cast him in resin (plastic).......Buddy
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd344/bigbud3/shadow2002.jpg)
Kaluta Shadow on my wall.........(not a good photo,,,,,under glass and my own shadow in pic) Buddy
Quote from: bigbud on February 18, 2011, 11:17:44 AM
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd344/bigbud3/shadow2002.jpg)
Kaluta Shadow on my wall.........(not a good photo,,,,,under glass and my own shadow in pic) Buddy
Bud, now *that* is something to kill for!!! That's drop dead gorgeous!!! I own a Dr Strange sketch by P Craig Russell that I almost had to kill for! LOL!!!
Illo........Anything "Shadow" is very cool! I agree with you on the Baldwin movie.....Not good!........ I had such hopes it would be true to the pulps......Nuts! Buddy
Not very familiar with The Shadow myself.........what was lacking in the Alec Baldwin movie??
Oh yeah--I forgot---I got this too...... 8)(http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4649/1002939u.jpg)
Quote from: Anton Phibes on February 18, 2011, 04:59:30 PM
Oh yeah--I forgot---I got this too...... 8)(http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4649/1002939u.jpg)
Anton, you're *killing* me!!! LOL!!!!
Illo, Looks like you are the only one without a Shadow original sketch......what's with that?
Scatter....It has to be difficult to convey the mystery and suspense of a Shadow story. I guess that's because the mind can see more in reading a Shadow novel than can be projected on the screen. In the beginning of the movie the Shadow silently drives up to an oriental on a bridge in the fog......I think he was about to jump.....as they drive along the Shadow calls his passenger by name.......the passenger is stunned, even horrified, and asks "How did you know who I am?".......The driver (Shadow) laughs his mirthless almost demonic laugh and says "The Shadow knows!" I audibly groaned in the theatre. In comparison to his actions in the pulps that scene was utterly ridiculous. Even moronic. The Shadow didn't read men's minds in the literal sense, but through deductive reasoning with mental powers like a modern day (modern for the 30's and 40's) Sherlock Holmes he deciphered evil-doers schemes, and thwarted them! The movie was straight downhill from there for me.......and many other Shadow fans..........Buddy
The Alec Baldwin thing to me followed the radio program more than any comics or pulp novels. The whole invisibility and mind control angle was definitely radio inspired. With a little borrowing from Chaykin's Shamballa and evil Lamont stuff. I thought it was ok. The only part that reminded me of the Kaluta comics was the sequence on the bridge with "Duke" and his boys. That was classic.
Here's some of my original Kaluta Shadow art. I've posted this before under the REH thread, but for those who haven't seen it...
(http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6954/img1873j.jpg)
(http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1930/img1869c.jpg)
As for the Baldwin movie, what a disappointment! I thought at the time, "They've blown it! I'!ve waited this long for Hollywood to make a big budget Shadow movie, and they screw it up!!!!!! Will I ever see a faithful adaptation of the Shadow in my lifetime?" Now it seems that Sam Raimi is involved in bringing a new Shadow movie to the screen and from what I've read about it there may be hope.
I still maintain that there hasn't been a decent film adaptation of *any* pulp character: the two Conan films were absolute crap, the Shadow we've discussed, George Pal got royally screwed by his movie company while he was making the Doc Savage film, etc.... I don't really know if Tarzan started as novels or in the pulps. I'll have to consult an expert...
Quote from: Illoman on February 19, 2011, 10:49:22 AM
I still maintain that there hasn't been a decent film adaptation of *any* pulp character: the two Conan films were absolute crap, the Shadow we've discussed, George Pal got royally screwed by his movie company while he was making the Doc Savage film, etc.... I don't really know if Tarzan started as novels or in the pulps. I'll have to consult an expert...
Sam Raimi's name has been attached to a potentially R rated Shadow project for years. Apparently he's a fan and wants the visceral, grimey, inner city, pulp version of the character with his network of agents to be featured in a film that has nothing to do with mind control, and everything to do with colt .44's a blazing. One can hope one day it happens..... :angel:
>I don't really know if Tarzan started as novels or in the pulps<
(http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/public/news_images/4/53951_122059_1.jpg)
Mike, I agree with your assessment of the pulp character movies. I did enjoy Greystoke though. Doc Savage, gosh it makes the Baldwin Shadow look like Citizen Kane. It always seems that the writers or directors ignore the elements that made the original material so successful. It appears that there is the idea that the characters cannot be successful unless they are made to resemble whatever is currently popular in superhero movies i.e., The Shadow/Burton's Batman and Doc Savage/Televison's Batman.
As for the Conan movies, I enjoyed the original Beastmaster and The Sword and the Sorcerer much more. They seemed to capture the spirit of pulp sword and sorcery much better than the Conan movies.
Quote from: RICKH on February 19, 2011, 12:22:17 PM
Mike, I agree with your assessment of the pulp character movies. I did enjoy Greystoke though. Doc Savage, gosh it makes the Baldwin Shadow look like Citizen Kane. It always seems that the writers or directors ignore the elements that made the original material so successful. It appears that there is the idea that the characters cannot be successful unless they are made to resemble whatever is currently popular in superhero movies i.e., The Shadow/Burton's Batman and Doc Savage/Televison's Batman.
As for the Conan movies, I enjoyed the original Beastmaster and The Sword and the Sorcerer much more. They seemed to capture the spirit of pulp sword and sorcery much better than the Conan movies.
The main problem I had with the Conan films is they ignored the source material. They were decent sword and sorcery epics, but they were *not* the Conan of the novels. The closest anyone has gotten to the flavor of Robert E Howard's prose was Boris Karloff's Thriller adaptation of Pigeons from Hell. That episode is widely regarded as the best from that series.
Illo, I'll keep on the lookout for that Thriller episode......didn't know it existed.......Bud
Quote from: Illoman on February 19, 2011, 12:36:51 PM
The closest anyone has gotten to the flavor of Robert E Howard's prose was Boris Karloff's Thriller adaptation of Pigeons from Hell. That episode is widely regarded as the best from that series.
Getting somewhat off subject. The link to the story doesn't work but you get a summary of the Thriller episode.
http://the-haunted-closet.blogspot.com/2009/08/pigeons-from-hell-1961-thriller.html (http://the-haunted-closet.blogspot.com/2009/08/pigeons-from-hell-1961-thriller.html)
Quote from: Wicked Lester on February 19, 2011, 02:24:42 PM
Getting somewhat off subject. The link to the story doesn't work but you get a summary of the Thriller episode.
http://the-haunted-closet.blogspot.com/2009/08/pigeons-from-hell-1961-thriller.html (http://the-haunted-closet.blogspot.com/2009/08/pigeons-from-hell-1961-thriller.html)
That was a cool blog! Actually the story was *published* in 1938, but written in 1934. REH died in 1936. Thanks!!
Okay, I got an answer on the Tarzan question. My brother is the biggest Edgar Rice Burroughs fan I know. He has read literally everything the man has written, and owns most if not all of it. Here's his response to my question about Tarzan's literary beginnings:
Tarzan started in Argosy magazine as a serial, I think. Then was quickly released in book form. While the first movies had (more realistic?) Tarzan speaking broken English, the Weismuller movies were charming and enjoyable. Different than the source material, which had Tarzan learning to read and write on his own, and then mastering several other languages over a year or so,but still fun to watch.
I just looked it up, and there are 89 movies with Tarzan in the title. Probably a normal curve distribution of greats to turds.
Just to add to the Pigeons From Hell part...(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4816415833_f55bc89574.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duane-the-bathtub/4816415833/)
MVC-300S (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duane-the-bathtub/4816415833/#) by packy120353 (http://www.flickr.com/people/duane-the-bathtub/), on Flickr
Packy, I have all those great Zebra books with the incredible Jeff Jones' covers. Those were very nice collections of REH's non-Conan work. He wrote in so many different genres, horror, fantasy, detective, western, boxing, humorous, etc...
>I got an answer on the Tarzan question.<
Mike, didn't you see the Tarzan magazine cover I posted on the last page?
Quote from: Wich2 on February 19, 2011, 08:24:06 PM
>I got an answer on the Tarzan question.<
Mike, didn't you see the Tarzan magazine cover I posted on the last page?
Yes, but still didn't know if it appeared as a book, then in the pulps or vice versa.
Sorry - I should've written a few lines, not just dropped in the pic!
the best pulp movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark. ALthough Indy isnt based on a pulp character per se, he certainly has elements of Doc Savage, and Alan Quartermain. In fact if the Shadow or Doc showed up in a movie with Indy, it would fit right in. The Rocketeer certainly had the right quality too, but Disney didnt get behind it so it failed.
Another pulp style movie that I thought was pretty good is Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Had a 30's pulp Sci-fi/weird menace feel to it. Since it's cold and rainy today I think I'll pop it in since I haven't seen it in awhile.
Blade Runner had a pulp feel to me.........anybody else? Buddy
'Til I saw the other sketches, almost forgot I had these...
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5466037291_fa01c45908_b.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5466040769_52634d48e8_b.jpg)
MDG.....that second sketch isn't Bernie Wrightson is it? Can't make out the signature.....Bud
Quote from: bigbud on February 23, 2011, 01:35:53 PM
MDG.....that second sketch isn't Bernie Wrightson is it? Can't make out the signature.....Bud
Yeah, it is--freebie he did for me at an Ithacon.
Yeah, I don't know if it's because he broke his wrist or what, but you can't read his signature any more. I've got two of his Frankenstein portfolios signed by him and a Swamp Thing with his signature...
(http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc311/illoman/BW.jpg)
I just picked up the full run of the late 80's DC series The Shadow Strikes for like $30 delivered in nice condition off Feebay. Hope it's a good read.
Quote from: Wicked Lester on February 23, 2011, 10:08:31 PM
I just picked up the full run of the late 80's DC series The Shadow Strikes for like $30 delivered in nice condition off Feebay. Hope it's a good read.
How many issues in a run?? I think I remember that series from my kid-dom.
Quote from: Wicked Lester on February 23, 2011, 10:08:31 PM
I just picked up the full run of the late 80's DC series The Shadow Strikes for like $30 delivered in nice condition off Feebay. Hope it's a good read.
Was that the one Chaykin did?
Just answered my own question, via wikipedia:
From 1989 to 1992, DC published a new series, The Shadow Strikes, written by Gerard Jones and Eduardo Barreto. This series was set in the 1930s and returned The Shadow to his pulp origins. During its run, it featured The Shadow's first team-up with Doc Savage, another very popular hero of the pulp magazine era. Both characters appeared together in a four-issue story that crossed back and forth between each character's DC comic series. "The Shadow Strikes" series often led The Shadow into encounters with well-known celebrities of the 1930s, such as Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, union organizer John L. Lewis, and Chicago gangsters Frank Nitti and Jake Guzik. In issue #7, The Shadow meets a radio announcer named Grover Mills — a character based on the young Orson Welles — who has been impersonating The Shadow on the radio. The character's name is taken from Grover's Mill, New Jersey, the name of the small town where the Martians land in Welles' famous 1938 radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds.
Here's one of the few cool collectibles to come out of the recent Shadow Movie- a licenced Shadow hat. Really quite nice. Has licence tag and a great label on the inside of hat too.......Buddy
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd344/bigbud3/shadow2.jpg)
Due to insurance concerns I was reluctant to show this Shadow item......but hey, the UMA is like family! This is a 1938 Philco Cathedral radio. It was custom built on request by Orson Welles who did the radio voice of the Shadow. He presented it to Walter Gibson, writer of the Shadow novels, in October of 1938 with the request that Gibson use it to listen to his October 30 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds. Gibson is said to never have had any other radio in his home, and used this radio extesively during his lifetime. Having once spilt a drop of coffee on the radio cabinet, Gibson was so distraught that Lest Dent of Doc Savage fame was hired to fill in for 2 issues of the Shadow! It now resides in my basement..........Love, Buddy
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd344/bigbud3/shadow2005.jpg)
Not a word of the above is true.....LOL
Bud, fool that I am I believed you until you said Walter Gibson missed a deadline. No way!!! great story, though. Remember what Norman Rockwell always said: "never let the truth get in the way of a good story".
That Shadow hat is way cooler than that crappy film!!!!
What's the *real* story on that uber-cool radio?
>Not a word of the above is true.....LOL<
F IS FOR FAKE
Wich2........been wondering about your avatar.......is that Sting with glasses? LOL
Illo.......I put on a display of Lone Ranger collectibles at the local museum......needed something to set a recorder in while it played old radio Lone Ranger programs......nobody got any connection with the Shadow, but I thought it looked cool......specially since the 3 Shadow figures lined up in the cabinet slats so well............................Love, Buddy