Mid-August Bullet Points

Let's get started with a loud bang.

Sanctum Books reprints now available!

Sanctum Books announced a few months back that they planned on reprinting the original Black Bat stories starting in July. They're ever-so-slightly behind schedule, but they are ready to go now.

At the printer and shipping this month: THE BLACK BAT Volume 1: "Brand of the Black Bat" & "Murder Calls the Black Bat" 

Sanctum Books presents the 1939 novels that introduced the caped crimebuster whose adventures paralleled Batman's and inspired Two-Face's origin, written by Norman A. Daniels as "G. Wayman Jones" for future BATMAN editors Mort Weisinger and Jack Schiff.

First, doomed to darkness by a murderous acid attack, D.A. Tony Quinn makes darkness his weapon with "The Brand of the Black Bat." Then, "Murder Calls the Black Bat" into a deadly war against corruption as Tony Quinn battles to prevent the biggest jewel heist of the century!

GOLDEN AGE OF COMICS BONUS: the debut of The Mask from Nedor's EXCITING COMICS #1.

This instant collector's item showcases the classic color pulp covers by Rudolph Belarski and Emery Clarke and the original interior illustrations by Harry Parkhurst, with historical commentary by Will Murray relating how a lawsuit with DC Comics was narrowly averted.

(Sanctum Books) 978-1-60877-183-7 Softcover, 7x10, 128 pages, B&W, $14.95

Not to be outdone...

Altus Books' Third Volume of the Black Bat Omnibus is about to drop!

Altus announced this volume was on its way back in early July but had not specified a date, only stating that it would be released "soon".

Turns out "soon" means Pulpfest, according to a comment on their Facebook page, and Pulpfest is this weekend in Columbus, Ohio. So presumably Volume Three will be available for mail order at the same time or shortly thereafter.

Holding to the format of the previous two volumes, it will include the seventh through ninth original Black Bat stories, being The Black Bat’s Flame Trail, The Black Bat’s Triumph and The Black Bat and the Trojan Horse.

Very much looking to adding this to the collection. Hell, I look forward to being able to add it to the right side of this page!

Onwards to a project only just now being mentioned...

Super-Powered Fiction Planning a Black Bat Novel!

This is interesting news, but no more than a brief mention so far so the book is not likely to be available for quite some time yet.

Last year, Super-Powered Fiction released an anthology called Pulpsploitation featuring several known pulp era characters re-imagined for the 80's. I only signed up for the Black Bat story specifically and I enjoyed it a great deal.

In a recent update to that project, the man behind the project, Nicholas Ahlhelm, mentioned the following:

...we will wrap up this Kickstarter and start the plans for the next wave of Pulpsploitation releases: novels starring Airboy and The Black Bat. It still hasn't been 100% set in stone that we will turn to Kickstarter for those releases, but if we do, you will be the first to know right here. 

And you will be the second right here.  :-)

I hope it's a direct sequel to the story from Pulpsploitation. I was concerned that a story taking place in the 80's (or late 70's) would be filled with ridiculous pop culture references but it was actually written respectfully and tastefully. Author Frank Byrns came up with a compelling update to the character, in my opinion and I'd like to read more about the Pulpsploitation version of the character and the offspring of the original Black Bat's entourage. Looking forward to finding out about this project.