Programming Archive

Six years after serving as the guest of honor at Pulpcon 33, Francis M. Nevins returns to the spotlight with an appearance at PulpFest 2010. Mike will be talking about Cornucopia of Crime, his forthcoming book from Ramble House, a hefty volume of 449 closely printed pages featuring chapters on pulp titans such as Cornell Woolricjh, Erle Stanley Gardner, John Lawrence, Cleve F. Adams and John D. MacDonald. Also included are interviews with James Atlee Phillips, better known as espionage novelist Phlip Atlee of the Joe Gall series, and with his brother David Atlee Phillips, a career CIA officer who shadowed Graham Greene in Castro’s Cuba and is suspected in some quarters of having had a hand in the JFK assassination.

Best known as the author of the ultimate Woolrich biography, First You Dream, Then You Die (which won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America, Nevins is a professor at the St. Louis University School of Law where he has taught since 1971. Some of his other books include Hopalong Cassidy: On the Page, On the Screen and The Cisco Kid: American Hero, Hispanic Roots. He has also edited many mystery anthologies and collections including Night and Fear and Leopold’s Way. Additionally, he has authored six mystery novels and two short story collections.

Join Mike Nevins at PulpFest at 2 PM on Friday, July 30 for Cornucopia of Crime.

They were called scribes, word slingers, hacks and penny-a-worders. But perhaps the most favored term, especially among the men and women who labored for the bloody pulps, was fictioneer—a fiction writer, especially a prolific creator of commercial or pulp fiction.

Join PulpFest as we celebrate today’s fictioneers—the authors writing the new pulp fiction. Indiana’s David Walker, a longtime friend to pulp historian Nick Carr, will be on hand to read from The Dawn of Midnight, a story originally penned for Airship 27’s Lance Star, Sky Ranger, Volume Two, published by Cornerstone Books and featuring the popular adventure hero, Captain Midnight. He’ll also be available for questions, critiques and good, old-fashioned schmoozing.

David’s New Fictioneers reading will take place on Friday, 7/30 at 3 PM. Please visit our programming page for further details on this and PulpFest’s other exciting programming events.

Lester Dent, Laurence Donovan, Paul Ernst, Ryerson Johnson…were pulp writers with one thing in common: they were all Kenneth Robeson.

When Street & Smith launched Doc Savage Magazine in 1933, they decided to use a house name to mask the identity of the author behind the new adventure series. Six years later, they did it again when the first issue of The Avenger hit the stands. Warner Books followed suit when Ron Goulart continued the series in the 1970s.

On Saturday afternoon, July 31 at PulpFest 2010, you’ll have a chance to meet the latest Kenneth Robeson when Will Murray discusses his seven-year effort to get new Doc Savage novels back in the book stores. He’ll also talk about his latest novel featuring the Man of Bronze–The Desert Demons, a story based upon an outline by Lester Dent–and related subjects.

But wait! If you prefer green over the color bronze, Martin Grams will be on hand with a history of The Green Hornet. Although the character never crossed over to the pulps, The Hornet had the same feel and essence as many of the rough paper masked vigilantes. Get the lowdown on this character and his companion Kato, their earliest adventures, why most of the recordings for the radio series don’t exist, and more through this fascinating slide show presentation. Additionally, Martin may have some tidbits about The Shadow that will surprise even the most dedicated enthusiast of the dark avenger.

For further details on all of the programming at PulpFest 2010, please visit our programming page.

Almost a full year before his first appearance in the pulps, The Shadow debuted as the narrator of The Detective Story Hour, a CBS radio program sponsored by Street & Smith. A mysterious storyteller with a sinister voice, the character soon had listeners visiting their neighborhood newsstand to ask for "that Shadow detective magazine." Bowing to demand, Street & Smith created The Shadow Magazine and the hero pulp genre was born.

On July 31, join Sanctum Books publisher and pulp historian Anthony Tollin as he commemorates the 80th anniversary of The Shadow’s radio debut with a multi-media presentation featuring interview material with Walter Gibson and other important figures from the history of the Knight of Darkness.

Known mostly to modern genre fans as the author of the first-draft of The Empire Strikes Back, pulp fans know Leigh Brackett as "The Queen of Space Opera." From the beginning, Brackett merged the planetary romances of Edgar Rice Burroughs with the hard-boiled, economic storytelling of Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain. The results were spectacular! In addition to her pulp output, Brackett also drew the attention of Hollywood auteur Howard Hawks and contributed to such projects as The Big Sleep, Rio Bravo, Hatari!, and other film classics.

Since 2002, Haffner Press has been steadily reprinting the stories of Leigh Brackett, and at PulpFest 2010 editor and publisher Stephen Haffner will present a 45-minute multimedia program on the background and career of this favorite writer. Drawing from sources common and obscure, you do not want to show up late for this event. Join Stephen Haffner on Friday, July 30 at 9:30 PM for "Leigh Brackett: American Icon." You have been warned.
 

With PulpFest less than two months away, the committee is now finalizing the schedule of events and composition of panels. This year’s convention will boast even more programs than last year’s, with many of the pulp community’s most knowledgeable members participating in discussions that will be as informative as they are entertaining.

Guest of Honor William F. Nolan will appear at three separate events. On Friday evening, following the official welcome to PulpFest attendees, Nolan will be interviewed by his friend and agent, Jason Brock. In addition to touching on Max Brand and the Black Mask writers being celebrated at this year’s convention, the author will discuss his relationships with Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont, and other well-known writers of genre fiction in the pulp tradition. And, of course, he’ll talk about his own work, including his contributions to the horror field (such as his work for the revived Weird Tales) and the novels for which he is perhaps best known, Logan’s Run and its sequels.    (more…)

The PulpFest Organizing Committee is proud to announce that sixteen members of the general pulp community have been nominated for the 2010 Munsey Award. The nominees were selected by pulp fans over the last several months. Their names will now be forwarded to a committee made up of all the living Lamont Award winners and last year’s Munsey winner, Bill Thom, who will select the person to receive the 2010 Munsey.

The sixteen nominees include Anthony Tollin, Chris Kalb, Dan Zimmer, Don Herron, Garyn Roberts, Gene Christie, George Vanderburgh, Howard Wright,  John DeWalt, Laurie Powers, Mike Chomko, Mike Taylor, Ron Fortier, Ron Hanna, Steve Miller, and Bill Contento. You’ll find further details about each nominee on the 2010 Nominees page of our website.

The recipient of the 2010 Munsey Award, a limited edition print designed by artist and pulp enthusiast David Saunders, will be announced on July 31 as part of the Saturday evening programming schedule, open to all PulpFest 2010 registrants.

Joining us at the 2010 PulpFest to help celebrate the 90th anniversaries of Black Mask’s debut and Max Brand’s first appearance in Western Story Magazine will be prolific author Robert J. Randisi, whom the publishing-industry trade journal Booklist has called "one of the last true pulp writers."

Randisi, who has for many years been active in both fan and pro circles, is the author of over 540 books, more than 50 short stories, and one screenplay. He has also edited 30 anthologies. A professional since 1982, when he began writing full time, Randisi has penned Westerns, mysteries, and stories in the horror, science fiction, and men’s-adventure genres. He has written yarns published under 15 different pseudonyms; as "J. R. Roberts" he created—and still writes—the long-running Gunsmith series, which currently numbers some 340 novels.     (more…)

 PulpFest is proud to announce that award-winning author, editor, screenwriter, and biographer William F. Nolan will be the Guest of Honor at this year’s convention.

Among his other accomplishments, Mr. Nolan is a leading authority on pulp fictioneers Max Brand and Dashiell Hammett as well as the other Black Mask contributors who flourished under the regime of editor Joseph T. Shaw. His many books on these writers include Hammett: A Life at the Edge (1983), The Black Mask Boys (1985), and Max Brand: Western Giant (1986). This year marks the 90th anniversary of both Black Mask’s first issue and Max Brand’s first appearance in Western Story Magazine, and the PulpFest committee felt that Mr. Nolan was the ideal person to help recognize these milestones in pulp history. He will headline PulpFest panels on Western and hard-boiled detective fiction.     (more…)

Happy Thanksgiving to all! With the holiday shopping season getting underway tomorrow, why not treat yourself to "Christmas in July" by sending in your registration for PulpFest 2010? Or perhaps you can convince your significant other to skip the sweater that he or she was planning to buy for you on Black Friday and instead purchase a "3-day membership with early bird access" for their favorite pulp fan. And while they’re at it, you might want to tell them about the Titanic exhibit that will be at Columbus’ Center of Science and Industry through September 6. Why not make PulpFest 2010 a trip for the whole family? Columbus has plenty to offer!     (more…)