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SHROUDED_IN_SHADOW
June 28, 2006
One version of the story of the
origin of the Shadow magazine
is this:
Listeners remembered "The Shadow",
but not "Street and Smith Detective";
it was quickly realized that
they needed to put out a
"Shadow Magazine".
GHOSTS_OF_THE_SHADOW
But my source on that is a
radio show documentary
about the Shadow, a history Here's another, though,
whose intent may have been a quote presented by
more entertainment Anthony Tolland, who
than historical record. wrote the notes for
"The Lost Shows"
collection of recordings:
Another source: the chapbook/zine
"Gangland's Doom" (1974) by ...general manager
Frank Eisgruber Jr. Bill Ralston decided
to give them what
In the preface by Robert Weinberg, they wanted. "If
a slightly different version is we've got The Shadow
presented: and people are talking
about The Shadow, why
"In order to retain a clear don't we put out a
copyright to the character, magazine called _The
Street and Smith decided to Shadow_? Like we
publish a magazine featuring used to have magazines
the exploits of The Shadow. called _Nick Carter_."
A contest was started.
Advertisements and clues
about the character were
published in "Detective
Story Magazine" from Jim Steranko -- who claims
February 7 to April 11, friendship with Walter Gibson, the
1931, with the clues also principal writer behind the Maxwell
being read over the radio by Grant handle -- supports this version
The Shadow. The prize in in all details in "The Steranko
the contest was $500." History of Comics" (1970). It may
very well be the original source.
He goes on to argue that in
spite of the build up they
didn't seem to expect the
magazine to be a hit. But
his only point of evidence Hm... and this fellow
is that they used a stock claims that Gibson had
painting instead of having to revise his story
a new original painted. to match the cover:
But might that "The Shadow novel as written did
not be driven by not have a villain who was
expediency? Chinese originally in it, but
There was a fear it was not hard for the author,
that a competing Walter Gibson, to write one in."
company would
get a magazine But this bit about a
out any day and Chinese fence is actually
secure rights to pretty well integrated into
the title. the story (with lots of
secondary dialog about
"chinks").
One thing that's
interesting...
And so: who SPOILERS
is to say
which tale Gibson has this Chinese
of origin is guy turn out to be an
the one true imposter, a white guy
one? made up as a Chinaman.
It's quite possible that
this was suggested by the
cover painting, which
definitely doesn't look
like a real Chinese person.
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