Pulp fiction actually began in the late 1800s but really came into its own by the late 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s. Although many of the writers at that time did not develop long term careers, this era produced some stellar authors who gave us some of our most memorable characters and heroes.
The pulp magazines got its name by the cheap high acid wood pulp paper used to bring the cost down so that a wider audience could be reached. They were in direct competition with the costly slicks that for the most part were purchased by people with means. It was a smart move because at about ten cents a piece, the readership of the pulps became huge and highly anticipated by its faithful readers.
One notable pulp character that debuted in July of 1930 in a radio show was "The Shadow" by author Walter B. Gibson (who also used the pen name Maxwell Grant). This character quickly grew on the audience and in April of 1931 became a pulp magazine series. This character evolved over the years and by 1937, readers were drawn in by the stories of the man who had the ability to make people see him as not necessarily invisible but as a shadow to be perceived to the right or left of where he stood. It had a long radio run as well as a TV series and has influenced today's unusual movie characters.
Edgar Rice Burroughs is another prolific writer in the pulp fiction era that originally started out as a pencil sharpener wholesaler who was a fan of the pulp magazines. He decided he could write as well or better than the magazines he was reading and became a beloved author for such novels as "Under the Moon of Mars," and "The Land That Time Forgot," but his most memorable character has to be "Tarzan," a story of the boy who would be raised by the apes. These stories captured the imagination of the young and old alike and remains a classic must read.
Like Burroughs another prolific writer who would become a New York Times best selling author nineteen times, Lafayette Ron Hubbard, debuted his fiction stories in "Thrilling Magazines" under his own and pen names such as Winchester Remington Colt, Kurt von Rachen, and Rene Lafayette among others. Although Hubbard was well versed in science fiction and fantasy, he was equally talented in other genres such as air and sea adventures, mystery, westerns and even some romance. Some of his best known early works are his novels "Buckskin Brigade" published in 1937, "Fear," "Final Blackout and Typewriter in the sky."
Pulp fiction stories were equally famous for their cover art. The illustrations were sensational and graphic which was part of the whole concept of the pulps. An artist could develop a name for themselves with the ability to convey what the story was about by a glance of the cover.
The pulps also gave rise to the comic book era which were many notable characters were born such as Superman, Spiderman, Batman, The Green Lantern, Wolverine etc. Some of the pulp era was a time of war and the need at that time for the fictional hero was desired reading. So popular were these fictional characters that to this day, we still produce movies and TV series to entertain us. Fortunately there is a revival of pulp fiction stories that a new audience can experience and enjoy!
Fred Duckworth is a passionate advocate of lifelong learning through audio books on CD collections from http://www.goldenagestories.com/. Galaxy Press Publishing, publisher of "The Golden Age Stories" and all genres of pulp fiction stories and novels, offers a convenient subscription service, so you never have to miss an issue. It's a pulp fiction lover's dream!
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