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Post by dem bones on Oct 1, 2016 10:47:33 GMT
As the title indicates, Ziff-Davis's Fantastic Adventures (May 1939-March 1953, 129 issues) was primarily a fantasy/ sword & sorcery/ Sci-Fi grab bag. We of macabre disposition need not feel left out, as the various editors frequently ran morbid material including Karl Tanzer von Cosel's The Secret Of Elena's Tomb, (Sept. 1947), Robert Bloch's sci-vampire burlesque, Girl From Mars (March 1950), A. Hyatt Verril's The Mummy Of Ret-Seh (May, 1939), H. B. Hickey's The Curse Of Ra, (April, 1948), Harl Vincent's The Devil Flower (May, 1939), David Wright O'Brien's Resurrection from Hell (Rudolph Hess has risen from the grave, Sept. 1942) and, from the same issue, John York Cabot's haunted house short, That Dreadful Night, etc. Am planning to sample more of these supernatural & horror tales over coming weeks, and the following is as good as any to begin with. William P. McGivern - The Picture Of Death: ( Fantastic Adventures, Nov. 1942). Harry Saunders at Republic Magazine appreciates our narrator's illustrative talent, but his work don't suit the publication. "Your backgrounds are okay, your composition's nice, but your male characters just don't have the brutality and toughness they should .... Do a villain for me, a rough, tough, nasty gent that I can really be scared of ..." It happens that, working late in his garret, the artist takes a glance out the window and sees a scowling, hostile looking character glaring down at the street from across the court. Man, what a face! Inspired, our takes up his pencil and knocks off a likeness, examines his creation and .... by jingo, it is positively bestial! If Harry doesn't drool over this baby we might as well all of us pack it in and piss off home! The artist cracks open a bottle of whiskey in celebration. Imagine his horror when the following morning, the masterpiece has entirely changed. It's even more hideous! And how did that blonde looker in peril get in on the act? Something tells us this bodes ill, and happily, we are correct. Gratitude in abundance to the magnificent pulpcovers.com for the opportunity to enjoy this and other neglected macabre gems!
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Post by bobby on Oct 1, 2016 15:53:33 GMT
Fantastic Adventures was also home to comic fantasy series like Robert Bloch's "Lefty Feep" stories (which I've read most of) and the "Toffee" stories by Charles F. Myers (which I haven't read, but are supposed to be along the lines of Thorne Smith).
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Post by dem bones on Oct 2, 2016 6:43:59 GMT
Fantastic Adventures was also home to comic fantasy series like Robert Bloch's "Lefty Feep" stories (which I've read most of) and the "Toffee" stories by Charles F. Myers (which I haven't read, but are supposed to be along the lines of Thorne Smith). Yes, whimsy was big with FA. It's very similar to Unknown in that respect. Robert Bloch was a regular, saving arguably his best contribution until last. Apart from the Lefty Feep stories - which, not that it matters, this reader never got along with - the crime sheet runs as follows. Robert Gibson Jones The Weird Doom of Floyd Scrilich (July 1942) The Black Brain (March 1943. As by 'Tarleton Fiske') The Skeleton In The Closet (May 1943. As by 'Tarleton Fiske') Almost Human (June 1943) Fairy Tale (Aug 1943. As by 'Tarleton Fiske') Mystery Of The Creeping Underwear (Oct 1943. As by 'Tarleton Fiske') The Mad Scientist (Sept. 1947) The Devil With You (Aug 1950) The Dead Don't Die (July 1951)
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Post by dem bones on Oct 2, 2016 8:12:15 GMT
'Tarleton Fiske' (Robert Bloch ) - Mystery Of The Creeping Underwear: ( Fantastic Adventures, Oct 1943). Rod Ruth When Dora Fooze rents an attic room to Prof. Beaker, MAD SCIENTIST, husband Sidney is not best pleased. The old coot's "great experiment" threatens structural damage and his vile potions are forever stenching up their home. Fortunately for Sidney, a particularly timid fellow who abhors confrontation, the Prof blows himself up, leaving only a bottle of liquid formula to mark his passing. Sidney somehow mistakes it for wash powder, leading to an an embarrassing episode aboard the bus when Sidney's tie turns homicidal and a pair of pink bloomers ("' I swear they're not mine!" repeated Mr Flooze desperately.') rampage down the aisle. It is even worse when he reaches the office. Mr. Fooze is employed by the HummenKapper Clothing Co. and today's duties include the nerve-shredding prospect of delivering an address to an audience of over a hundred buyers and style specialists. Sidney isn't cut out for this kind of thing at the best of times, and today most certainly isn't one of those. The boss, Mr. Gnasher, has warned him of the dire consequences should he foul up, and his treacherous garments know it. To the delight of the audience, Mr. Fooze performs an involuntary striptease. A visit from Dr. Kranoff, ANOTHER MAD SCIENTIST, the man who murdered Prof. Beaker, by dumping nitroglycerin in his mixing vat. Kranoff fancies himself as the next Herbert West, re-animator, and Beaker's elixir of life is crucial to his work. He'll stop at nothing to get his hands on that bottle ... The mystery of the living laundry would be the more accurate title as activity not restricted to nethergarments, although they get the best lines.
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Post by bobby on Oct 2, 2016 13:34:07 GMT
There actually was a "Meet The Author" page for "Tarleton Fiske" in the August 1943 issue. The accompanying photo is of Robert Bloch, but he's holding an issue of Fantastic Adventures (upside down!) in front of his face so most of it is hidden. It says that the "Tarleton Fiske" story "It's A Small World" was supposed to be in the August 1943 issue, but it was replaced by "Fairy Tale" because there wasn't enough room for it. Of course "It's A Small World" ended up being published as a Robert Bloch story (and in Amazing Stories instead of Fantastic Adventures), so I assume that was the end of that pseudonym.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 2, 2016 17:45:10 GMT
Illustrations, L -R. Arnold The Skeleton In The Closet. Malcolm Smith "Nazi, Are You Resting Well?". Tarleton Fiske - The Skeleton In The Closet: ( Fantastic Adventures, May 1943). Fiske inherits a house, library of forbidden books, and the motor-mouthed skellington from his uncle Magnus Lorry, Black Sorcerer. Magnus, who, even as a bag of bones, retains his fondness for the hard stuff, has gone AWOL from his family vault at Homecrest Cemetery, unable to rest until he's paid back his murderer in kind. References Thorne Smith's 1939 novel Skin And Bone, in which photographer Quintus Bland accidentally turns himself into an animated x-ray. As with Weird Tales, Fantastic Adventures published their fair share of patriotic war fiction. Leroy Yerxa - "Nazi, Are You Resting Well?": ( Fantastic Adventures, July 1943). Trondheim, during WWII. Captain Hendrik Fodstrad, Nazi collaborator, lines up twelve of his fellow Norwegian countrymen before a firing squad. Their leader, Evind Bergrof, Fodstrad's once neighbour, is defiant to the last. The hostages are duly gunned down, their corpses removed from the yard. Then Fodstrad receives the first of countless nuisance phone calls from beyond the grave .... There actually was a "Meet The Author" page for "Tarleton Fiske" in the August 1943 issue. The accompanying photo is of Robert Bloch, but he's holding an issue of Fantastic Adventures (upside down!) in front of his face so most of it is hidden. It says that the "Tarleton Fiske" story "It's A Small World" was supposed to be in the August 1943 issue, but it was replaced by "Fairy Tale" because there wasn't enough room for it. Of course "It's A Small World" ended up being published as a Robert Bloch story (and in Amazing Stories instead of Fantastic Adventures), so I assume that was the end of that pseudonym. Good spot that, Bobby. Do you reckon the readers saw through his 'disguise'? According to Graeme Flanagan's Bloch Bio-Bibliography, the last use of the Tarleton Fiske pseudonym was Meet Mr. Murder for Mammoth Detective, Nov. 1943, so I reckon you assume right. Man of a thousand faces
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Post by helrunar on Oct 3, 2016 13:51:12 GMT
Dora Fooze? Professor Beaker? Oh Bobby. The mind boggles even as there's a strange niggling sensation in the undergarments... H. 'Tarleton Fiske' (Robert Bloch ) - Mystery Of The Creeping Underwear: ( Fantastic Adventures, Oct 1943). Rod Ruth Dora Fooze rents an attic room to Prof. Beaker, MAD SCIENTIST, and husband Sidney is not best please. The old coot's "great experiment" threatens structural damage and his vile potions are forever stenching up their home. Fortunately for Sidney, a particularly timid fellow who abhors confrontation, the Prof blows himself up, leaving only a bottle of liquid formula to mark his passing. Sidney somehow mistakes it for wash powder, leading to an an embarrassing episode aboard the bus when Sidney's tie turns homicidal and a pair of pink bloomers ("' I swear they're not mine!" repeated Mr Flooze desperately.') rampage down the aisle. It is even worse when he reaches his office. Mr. Fooze is employed by the HummenKapper Clothing Co. and today's duties include the nerve-shredding prospect of delivering an address to an audience of over a hundred buyers and style specialists. Sidney isn't cut out for this kind of thing at the best of times, and today most certainly isn't one of those. The boss, Mr. Gnasher, has warned him of the dire consequences should he foul up, and his treacherous garments know it. To the delight of the audience, Mr. Fooze performs an involuntary striptease. A visit from Dr. Kranoff, ANOTHER MAD SCIENTIST, the man who murdered Prof. Beaker, by dumping nitroglycerin in his mixing vat. Kranoff fancies himself as the next Herbert West, re-animator, and Beaker's elixir of life is crucial to his work. He'll stop at nothing to get his hands on that bottle ... The mystery of the living laundry would be the more accurate title as activity not restricted to nethergarments, although they get the best lines.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 4, 2016 19:52:26 GMT
P. F. Costello - When Destiny Dealt: ( Fantastic Adventures, Sept. 1942). "There were faces on those cards, faces of buffoons, and of a beautiful woman."Magarian Whoever the toothless old hag of a fortune teller might be, she's no employee of the Morris Brothers Mammoth Circus. But trapeze artists Marie Carillo and Manrico can hardly be expected to notice. They only have eyes for one another. If only they could marry. But that won't happen while the third Flying Carillo is still treading the highwire. His name is Tony. He's Marie's husband. Marie visits the fortune teller. The first card depicts a beautiful woman on the back, identical to herself right down to the heart-shaped beauty spot on the cheek, the rest, a variety of bozos in greasepaint and clown suits. If the mystic knows her stuff, Marie doesn't have much future to look forward to, and neither does Manrico. The small consolation, Tony will meet Death before they do. Manrico has arranged that happy event for tonight. As his fellow dare-devil swings toward him, he will deliberately miss the catch and watch his rival plummet to his death. That Tony is the worse for whiskey will make the "accident" entirely plausible. What can possibly go wrong, etc.?
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Post by dem bones on Oct 5, 2016 11:15:41 GMT
One for Dr. Proof's logbook ... Rod Ruth William Lawrence Hamling - Jimmy Takes A Trip: ( Fantastic Adventures, July 1946). Brent, ten, loves exploring the abandoned railway depot, especially when the train goes by and the kindly, white-bearded engineer gives him a wave. Only problem with that is, Jimmy must be crazy because ... There hasn't been a train in Athens for the past ten years! Mum and dad are worried. His classmates taunt him over imaginary choo-choo's. Form-teacher, Miss Madison, mindful that he's a sensitive kid, volunteers to accompany him to the derelict depot after school. He takes his usual place on the rotted platform, but the train doesn't show. Now even she has had enough of his nonsense. Then came the afternoon of the lightening storm ...
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Post by dem bones on Oct 9, 2016 11:40:12 GMT
A. Hyatt Verrill - The Mummy Of Ret-Seh: ( Fantastic Adventures, May 1939). Julian S. Krupa What weird science lay in the mummy case of Ret-Seh? What uncanny power created this lovely, terrifying vision?Hargraves fortuitously (he thinks!) lands the mummy case as part of a job lot from an auction, and installs it in his home museum. The lid depicts a very beautiful woman, skimpily attired, "carmine lips parted in an alluring, most provocative smile .... a regular heart-breaker back in the days of the Pharaohs, I expect ...." That night Hargraves returns home from a social engagement to find he has acquired two squatters of the most uncanny aspect - an elusive tortoiseshell cat, and a Cleopatra tribute act - the very image of the effigy on the casket - who climbs into his bed and entices him to join her! Good thing he's a staunch bachelor who frowns upon that type of thing or there's no telling what might happen. Hargraves confides his strange experience in Dr. Gale, who thinks it's a great hoot. He'd kill to have "pleasurable visions" of luscious girls giving him the come on, and here's Hargrave whining he wants rid of them! If he's so sure she was real, why hadn't he tried to kiss her? No help there, so next he calls on Prof. Blackett, proper Egyptologist, who recognises the casket from Hargraves description, mainly because it is nearly the most famous one ever! The mummy case of Ret-Seh mysteriously vanished from the collection of the late Prof. Buenaventura, strangled by bony fingered assailant unknown. It contains the mortal remains of Ptonomah II's hottest concubine, a wicked sorceress who preyed upon her victims in the form of a cat. What can it all mean? Julian S. Krupa
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