I found a couple of old pulp mystery and adventure reprints in an amazing collec tion of old science fiction and pulp adventure books in the Oxfam bookstore in Ann street Belfast. A collection of a lifetime genorously donated to the charity after the passing of the collector, his family hoping the charity would be well served by her loved ones years of collecting. From the most obscure science fiction to hard boiled pulp, this was a collection worth sharing. These two pulps were the first thing that jumped out at me. The lurid covers doing their job, hooking my imagination with first glance.Two pulpy anthologies which would no doubt strike most viewers as Sax Rohmer Fu Manchu knock offs, but I was more than willing to discover with the reading if that was indeed the case. Modernity oft scoffs at such notions and most would quite rightly also scoff along, but I try to see history as the way it was rather what we hoped it would be, acknowledging the fault rather than erazing it. How else might we learn for the world that is to come and how we chose to navigate it.
The adventure begins in a fog shrouded part of er, Washington.This capitol city having its own East End Of Londoninspired Chinatown. Yet is strongly suggested this part of town is a crime ridden Gotham of a place. i warmed to how much the two male leads warmed to each other, even in the heat of adventure they clearly only have eyes for each other. Its charmingly benign, no subtext, just comradely affection. Men can be like that. So can badgers I suppose. its all unintentional off course, Doc Savages men are written in this way and Monk and Ham only ever fought together and never fell in love. Pulp tropes perhaps but their origins began somewhere. There is also a beautiful maiden to be rescued from a life of crime, which is in itself a pulpy trope. With a good person being black mailed into criminality by wicked ones holding their family hostage. The illustrations within this reprint echo all these tropes, if thats how you care to think of them. Some of them verge on racey. (More tea, Vicar?)
It was thrilling glimpse into a world of publishing which has passed.
One that barrels along at a rocketing pace.
A two mug of tea read.
